1849
Gorton’s begins as John Pew & Sons during the birth of the US fishing industry, making Gloucester, MA America’s oldest fishing port.
1849
2023
1849
1868
Slade Gorton begins a fishing business in Rockport, MA, pioneering a salt-dried codfish packing method.
1905
Gorton’s Fisherman: The Slade Gorton Company adopted the fisherman at the helm of a schooner as the company trademark.
1906
John Pew & Sons, Slade Gorton, and two other Gloucester fisheries merge into Gorton-Pew Fisheries.
1952
The first modern, frozen convenience food is invented: Gorton’s Fried and Frozen Codfish.
1953
Gorton’s introduces a frozen, ready-to-cook fish stick, the first of its kind and winner of the Parents Magazine Seal of Approval.
1956
Gorton’s Seafood Center opens in Gloucester, MA, where we still produce the majority of our products to this day.
1975
The Gorton’s Fisherman makes his television debut.
2008
Gorton’s begins its ongoing partnership with the New England Aquarium to help shape sourcing policies and promote responsible fishing and aquaculture practices.
2023
Gorton’s continues its legacy of innovation with the launch of Air Fried Fillets & Shrimp.
1849
Gorton’s begins as John Pew & Sons during the birth of the US fishing industry, making Gloucester, MA America’s oldest fishing port.
1868
Slade Gorton begins a fishing business in Rockport, MA, pioneering a salt-dried codfish packing method.
1905
Gorton’s Fisherman: The Slade Gorton Company adopted the fisherman at the helm of a schooner as the company trademark.
1906
John Pew & Sons, Slade Gorton, and two other Gloucester fisheries merge into Gorton-Pew Fisheries.
1952
The first modern, frozen convenience food is invented: Gorton’s Fried and Frozen Codfish.
1953
Gorton’s introduces a frozen, ready-to-cook fish stick, the first of its kind and winner of the Parents Magazine Seal of Approval.
1956
Gorton’s Seafood Center opens in Gloucester, MA, where we still produce the majority of our products to this day.
1975
The Gorton’s Fisherman makes his television debut.
2008
Gorton’s begins its ongoing partnership with the New England Aquarium to help shape sourcing policies and promote responsible fishing and aquaculture practices.
2023
Gorton’s continues its legacy of innovation with the launch of Air Fried Fillets & Shrimp.
The Gorton's Quiz
True or False? Gorton’s was the first to invent modern, frozen convenience food.
True or False? Gorton’s is still located in America’s oldest fishing port – Gloucester, MA.
True or False? To increase the number of environmentally certified fisheries and farms, Gorton’s partnered with the New England Aquarium in 2008.
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Our fisherman
Trust The Gorton’s Fisherman
He first appeared on TV in 1975 and has been an icon ever since. But The Gorton’s Fisherman is much more than the inspiration for a beloved jingle. He embodies our belief in high-quality seafood. As he likes to say, “If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” These are words we live by, every day.
The community
Our Life's Work
A lot’s changed at Gorton’s since 1849, but a few things will always remain the same. We’re proud of our Gloucester history, the Gorton’s Fisherman, and the dedicated group of people who work every day to help families across the country enjoy the goodness of high quality seafood.