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Sassy Seafood, on the surface, is a sustainable seafood company. A wild idea brought to life by Libie Cain and Teresa Reeves. Along with their husbands, Chris Cain and Shane Reeves, they are fishermen and fisherwomen, packers, shippers, deliverers and retail sales representatives. But, if you take the time to look, behind the ingenious advertising, past each scrumptious can of wild caught tuna, you will see a team like no other. A team so devoted to their work, to their mission and to each other that they call themselves a family.

Sassy Seafood Fiona Miller
Fiona keeps things organized and moving as manager of the Sassy Seafood warehouse. She is proud to be part of a company built on old-fashioned, family values. Photo courtesy: Sassy Seafood

“I am honored to be a part of this company. I am so proud of my friends. I am so proud of what they are doing and the difference that they are making in the world,” says Fiona Miller, Sassy Seafood warehouse manager.

Fiona’s journey with Sassy Seafood began in 2015.

“I immediately fell in love with everything about the company,” admits Fiona. “The whole idea was amazing. I loved the branding, the logos and the fact that this was a women-owned company in an industry which is very much male dominant. I also loved that everything Libie and Teresa did, and continue to do, with their business is meaningful and fulfilling.”

Life as the Sassy Seafood warehouse manager can be unpredictable. Fiona fills most of her days with stocking, labeling, shipping and tracking inventory, but like the other members of the Sassy Seafood team, she fills in with enthusiasm wherever needed.

“What I mostly admire, is that this company is about family,” she says. “It is built on old-fashion values that are meaningful and real. I work hard in my role, so that Libie, Teresa and the other members of our team can be where they need to be.”

Sassy Seafood Shane and Chris
Chris Cain and Shane Reeves proudly captain Sassy Seafood’s two fishing vessels, Mistress and Betty Lee III. Photo courtesy: Sassy Seafood

And where is the rest of the team? Out on the sea or in your community, promoting and selling their product at our local farmers markets.

“Harvesting this natural resource for Sassy Seafood makes me feel good, it makes me feel important. It makes me feel like I am contributing and making a real difference,” says Shane Reeves, captain of the Fishing Vessel Betty Lee III

A typical day for the Sassy Seafood Captains, Shane Reeves and Chris Cain, is long and extremely busy. Shane and Chris are responsible for locating the Wild Pacific Albacore that Sassy Seafood harvests and puts into each yummy can. They maintain the fishing vessels to ensure all systems are in good working order and coordinate the logistics of transportation from their boats to the canning facility.

“I have learned from the girls that harvesting products and producing products are different and that it takes time to develop a product which is timeless,” shares Chris. “I really want people to know how hard the Sassy Seafood team works for every consumer, and how much pride is put into every can.”

Sassy Seafood Libie and Teresa
Libie Cain and Teresa Reeves are the inspiration behind Sassy Seafood. While Libie can be found working on her husband’s boat, Mistress, Teresa uses manages all things customer services related. Together they are an unstoppable team. Photo courtesy: Sassy Seafood

Although their husbands captain the boats, the boys, as they are fondly called, are quick to credit Libie and Teresa for developing Sassy Seafood into what it is today, for putting together a dynamic team, and for helping everyone give life to the Sassy Seafood dream.

Together Libie and Teresa make the perfect person, with their own unique and complementary skills, every weakness in one is filled by a strength offered in the other. It is due to their seamless coordination that they are constantly growing and evolving. The fishing community, in many ways, is still a good old boys club, still cowboys and Indians, but that that hasn’t stopped them from finding their voice and their way in.

“We do this work out of a love for our way of life,” says Teresa. “Commercial fishermen are the ocean’s biggest stewards. We deeply care about the safest practices to get each fish aboard and into consumer’s hands.”

This market Season, Sassy Seafood has set up camp in Seabrook, Harstine Island, Tumwater and Chehalis. While you can always order product online through Sassy Seafoods website, the most enjoyable way to purchase is in person.

“Seeing and hearing the reactions to our products by consumers, that’s my favorite part of this work. It helps me know that we are doing a great job and for all of the right reasons,” says Chris Cain, captain of the Fishing Vessel Mistress

Sassy Seafood Brianne Winkelman
During the year, Brianne works as a teacher, but during the summer, you can find her at the Tumwater Farmers Market sharing the Sassy Seafood story. Photo courtesy: Sassy Seafood

During the school year, Brianne Winkelman can be found teaching at Eastside Cooperative Preschool, but each summer she transforms into a Sassy Seafood ambassador. While she is one of the only team members without a commercial fishing background, you would never know it because of how hard she has worked to learn all she can about the industry.

“Market days are wonderful,” shares Brianne excitedly, who represents Sassy Seafood each Wednesday at the Tumwater Town Center Farmers Market. “Not only do I get to interact with other passionate vendors and repeat customers, but I get to share the Sassy Seafood story and build relationships with new customers as well. Libie and Teresa have worked tirelessly to bring their customers the best tuna, can it with care and design packaging that is eye catching and tells a story. They literally do it all! I’m just a small part of a very big and exciting journey.”

“I feel like this company is successful because of the people,” adds Austyn Wall. “I have been commercial tuna fishing, so I am aware of the feeling of being on deck along with on land and during my Saturday’s in Seabrook, I tell the Sassy story with passion because I truly believe in our products. I talk about everything, from what happens when we get the fish on the landing table on the boat to the canning process and every bit of love that is poured in each can along the way.”

Sassy Seafood Austyn Wall
Austyn loves telling customers about the Sassy Seafood process. Did you know that the numbers on the bottom of each can represent the latitude and longitude of the location where that tuna was caught? Photo courtesy: Sassy Seafood

Quality tuna is not brought to us without sacrifice, however.

“There is no rest in this life,” confides Libie. “Most days I am up by 4:00 a.m. You need a fighting spirit and tough mind to survive as a fisherman. It’s the type of lifestyle you embrace, not beat. But we stay motivated and keep at it because we know how important this work is to not only our families, but yours as well.”

To find out more about Sassy Seafood and their mission to change the world, one can at a time, visit the Sassy Seafood website, or, connect with them in person at one of these local farmers markets:

Greater Lewis County Community Farmers Market
Tumwater Town Center Farmers Market
Seabrook Saturday Market
Harstine Island Farmers Market

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