Directories

Service Category

Restaurants

Business Description

The Holden family has been in the Maine lobster industry for three generations. Luke's father, Jeff was the first licensed lobster processor in Maine. Luke’s is an innovator in the lobster industry. They have removed middlemen, allowing the company to work directly with fishermen on quality and sustainability innovations that bring more value back to the shore, such as bonusing additional dollars to wharves that handle their lobsters in manners that reduce shrink. Luke’s is the first processor/dealer to be a member of a lobster fishermen's coop, which they helped to found in Tenants Harbor. The family connections make Luke’s Lobster a better business, as Jeff hands down the knowledge and experience he has gained from a half century in the business to his sons Luke, Bryan, and Jeff. He has instilled an appreciation for the coastal community, how it interacts with the environment, and the importance of preserving it for future generations. Certifying as a B Corp enshrined the company’s commitment to social and environmental good, contributing to the small family business mindset that helps Luke’s Lobster make responsible decisions that are good for their team and stakeholders. From 2009 to 2019, Luke’s Lobster grew from a single restaurant location with a single employee to 20 restaurants across the U.S., 5 restaurants in Japan, 2 in Singapore, a large seafood processing facility in Saco that supports those restaurants, a branded grocery seafood business distributed across the U.S. and to Singapore, and a robust online market with a diverse range of Maine seafood sold in all 50 states. Pivoting to build the online market during the pandemic helped Luke’s survive and provided yet another channel for growth. Before the pandemic, Luke’s Lobster peaked at 600 employees, 250 of whom were in Maine. Luke’s is rebuilding rapidly and is poised to restart growth to new domestic and international markets.