The seafood industry in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., is stepping up to help victims of devastating wildfires after multiple fast-moving blazes destroyed homes, restaurants, and grocery stores – including some long-running seafood establishments.
Malibu, California-based seafood eatery Reel Inn, which has been open for more than 40 years in Topanga State Park, was completely destroyed, according to the Los Angeles Times. Owners Andy and Teddy Leonard were getting ready to renegotiate the restaurant’s lease with state officials, and now, they worry “they won’t let us rebuild,” they told the newspaper.
The Leonards started a GoFundMe campaign to help staff members who are without wages.
Other Malibu restaurants destroyed by the fires include Moonshadows, Cholada Thai, Rosenthal Wine Bar & Patio, Cafe Vida, Casa Nostra, and Caffe Luxxe. Gladstones and Moonstones also sustained damage from the fires, and in Altadena, California, Café de Leche, Minik Market, and Rancho Bar were among the restaurants that completely burned down.
The impacts are being felt beyond those directly affected by the fires, as other restaurants in the city are losing business.
“Across our city, restaurants are feeling the pain. Reservations are being canceled, especially for outdoor-dining destinations, and because so many residents and staff have been impacted by this apocalyptic event, restaurants and businesses are being forced to close, having a huge economic impact on everyone,” Tricia LaBelle, restaurant owner and president of the Greater Los Angeles Hospitality Association said, per Restaurant Business.
Restaurants in communities adjacent to the wildfire areas are also facing power outages, water shortages, staffing challenges, and unhealthy air quality and smoke, as well as evacuation orders and traffic closures, Santa Monica Seafood President and CEO Roger O’Brien told SeafoodSource.
“All aspects of the seafood industry have been impacted by these wildfires,” he said.
At least 100 retail and foodservice customers of Santa Monica Seafood, the largest seafood wholesaler in the area, have ceased operations – hopefully temporarily, O’Brien noted.
The company’s seafood sales have been down around 35 percent since the fires started on 7 January, O’Brien said, and the cancelation of numerous city events, sporting events, Hollywood productions, and business functions negatively impacted restaurants.
Four Star Seafood, another seafood distributor in the area, told SeafoodSource the company’s volume has dropped in half since the fire and that the company is working to donate products to World Central Kitchen, which is taking donations from seafood companies to provide food relief.
“We’re as involved as we can be,” Four Star Seafood Co-Founder Adrian Hoffman said. “We’re also working with restaurants that have been our customers and getting them donated seafood to feed people with. But, it is nothing less than devastating for the Los Angeles market. It’s a mess.”
On the retail side, a number of grocery stores, including an Aldi and Ralph’s, have been destroyed.
Gelson’s, which operates nearly 30 stores in California with a focus on fresh and prepared seafood, also lost its Pacific Palisades store to the wildfires, President and CEO Ryan Adams said in a message on the retailer’s website.
“This store was more than just a place to shop; it was a cornerstone of the community, and we grieve this loss alongside the team members, customers, and neighbors who called it their own,” Adams said. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these tragedies. We are committed to supporting our employees during this challenging time, ensuring they have access to resources and aid as they navigate their own hardships.”
Additionally, Gelson’s is “exploring every avenue to assist in recovery efforts,” Adams said. “We will stand with our neighbors, supporting and working together to rebuild what has been lost.”
Other grocers in areas in or around the fire areas have closed due to smoke and ash problems, traffic closures, and due to fire and evacuation warnings, according to O’Brien.
“Deliveries, be it seafood or anything else, to these many retailers has not been possible,” he said.
Santa Monica Seafood anticipates increased orders from 13 January on, but deliveries into certain areas will still be limited. Buyers have also reduced the company’s shellfish orders, O’Brien said.
One of the wholesaler’s senior executives lost his home in the Palisades fire, and several employees were forced to evacuate their homes.
“Many of us have relatives and friends have either lost homes, who worked for businesses that burned down, or were forced to evacuate their homes,” O’Brien said.
As the region works to come to terms with the full scope of the fires, local restaurants, food groups, and many charitable agencies “sprung quickly into action” to help, according to O’Brien.
For instance, Andrew and Lauren Gruel, the owners of Calico Fish House in Huntington Beach, Calfornia, set up the restaurant as a staging area to transport seafood and hot meals to World Central Kitchen and other supplies to Malibu and other affected areas.
Andrew Gruel said he was stunned to quickly receive more than USD 50,000 (EUR 49,000) in donations from across the country, as well as see fire victims and customers transporting food to affected areas.
“We’ve got at least 10 to 15 truckloads in front of the restaurant right now … We have had over 100 volunteers from Orange County and Los Angeles,” he said on a TV news program.
Calico Fish House is also offering a free meal to anyone affected by the fires.
Meanwhile, Santa Monica Seafood’s retail markets and restaurants remain open and are providing free meals to first responders and affected residents in shelters, along with discounted meals for impacted residents. The company has also reached out to provide seafood products to restaurants and groups that are providing meals out in the field to first responders.
“Santa Monica Seafood believes that when we are kind to others in trouble, like we’ve seen in the wildfires, we hope those people remember and will pay forward such kindness to someone else,” the company said.
The Kroger Family of Companies also announced it has committed to raise USD 1 million (EUR 978,000) for families impacted by the wildfires.
“We strive to fulfill our purpose, to Feed the Human Spirit, every day, and especially when disaster strikes,” Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said in a release. “Our associates are always among the first to support our communities during natural disasters, and the situation in Southern California is no different.”