Meet Our Makers: Kate Lamason of East Coast Tuna Co

Kate Lamason is the Owner & Co-Founder of East Coast Tuna Co, a gamechanging brand delivering the first Australian Caught MSC certified local tinned tuna.

They’re elevating shelf stable seafood with integrity and end to end transparency - as part of their commitment to ethics and accountability, East Coast Tuna Co has continuously rolling cameras installed on their boats that monitor fishing practices and catch limits so that consumers can trust their integrity. Kate was named Queensland’s Rural Woman of the Year in 2024 and the East Coast Tuna Co story is a great lesson in staying true to your values, committing to growing an industry, supporting Australian fishing families and offering a premium sustainable product at a competitive price.

C&C: Hi Kate! Can you tell us a bit about the early days of East Coast Tuna Co? Where did the idea come from and how did the business get started?

Kate: East Coast Tuna Co was born from a need to get Australian tuna on our shelves - essentially, a tuna that supports our fishing families, is affordable for everyday Australians, and is caught sustainably to protect our oceans. It was created by us and officially launched at the start of this year. Before that, we launched Little Tuna, our boutique product which just turned ten this year. We started Little Tuna because there were no Australian options available at the time, but even after a decade, we were still only able to support two Australian vessels. With East Coast Tuna Co, we’re now supporting thirty percent of Australia’s tuna fishers and growing. Most importantly, we’re making it possible for more Australians to enjoy local, sustainable tuna.

C&C: Amazing. What has the process of getting East Coast Tuna Co ‘on the shelf’ and into retailers been like?

Kate: As it’s an Australian product and supporting our Australian fishing families, it does come at that higher price point. East Coast Tuna Co has created the whole story behind the product and connected consumers to the actual fishers, the people catching it. Each tin has a QR code that consumers can scan and meet the actual skippers that are out there catching this fish. We teach our consumers all about how it’s caught and why it’s a better choice than the other options on the shelves.

C&C: East Coast Tuna Co really has a commitment to that end to end transparency. Why is this traceability and transparency such an important part of the business? 

Kate: In an industry where greenwashing and misleading labels are far too common, we believe Australians deserve to know exactly where their tuna comes from. That’s why we’ve built our brand East Coast Tuna Co. on traceability and transparency, from the moment a fish is caught by Australian fishers to the moment it lands on a shelf.

We’ve always been passionate about Australian made. We tried to do it all here, but after Australia moved seafood processing offshore 20-25 years ago, the infrastructure just didn’t exist. When we were faced with no choice but to process offshore, we knew the only way forward was with full traceability. It was vital to us and to the integrity of the product that the same Aussie fish we send out is the same fish that comes back. MSC-certified sustainability and traceability allow us to track every fish from catch to processing, and back to our hands in Australia. Our products are proudly boat-to-tin (ECTC), backed by QR codes that let customers meet the fishers and follow their tuna’s journey. Because transparency builds trust and trust drives real change.

C&C: Do you find that you people are interested in where the tuna is coming from, scanning the QR codes etc?

Kate: Yes absolutely, we’re finding it’s really popular. A lot of people picking up our product are conscious consumers who genuinely care about where their food comes from. They’re excited to scan the QR codes, hear the stories and connect with the people behind the catch.

Australian tuna fishers are passionate, driven and deeply aware of their responsibility to the future of the fishery. We wanted people to really meet them and fall in love with the Australian tuna industry. The interviews we’ve done with the fishers are relatable, down-to-earth and full of heart - you can truly feel their passion for what they do.

Being able to share that is something we love. It’s more than just tuna in a tin, it’s about sharing a story, building connections and helping people understand the value behind every catch.

C&C: In the process of getting the products ‘on the shelf’, why did you choose to work with a distributor and why did you ultimately choose to work with Cartel & Co?

Kate: I’ve known Hayssam now for around five years. I met him at a trade show and he was very eager to represent Little Tuna, with Little Tuna being all Australian and Australian made. It’s a low production quantity as well - we tried to work together initially, but there was no way we could bring on a distributor. So I’ve always kept in contact with Hayssam and told him that this was my intention and that I’d work with him when we get there. When we got to a point where we were launching a high production product, it was a no-brainer that we would be engaging Cartel & Co because of his authentic passion for the industry and genuine interest in our brand . He got the story straight away and shared it with all of the team. We feel like he has the same passion that we do for the product that he’s representing.

C&C: That’s great to hear. If I was brand new to the brand new to the East Coast Tuna Co world, which product would you recommend that I try first?

Kate: The most popular one by far is the olive oil flavour. It’s definitely my favourite because the freshness of the fish is a standout, the oil makes it quite tender and juicy. But as a new consumer, I would definitely say give it a go and see what you think because the product really does speak for itself. When people try it and realise that it is a high quality product, we’re using albacore tuna which doesn’t have that fishy smell or fishy taste and has a lovely fresh taste, people are easily converted.

C&C: What do you envision for the future of East Coast Tuna as a brand?

Kate: Our vision is bold but simple. We want to see East Coast Tuna sitting proudly on all shelves, right alongside the mainstream brands that are currently all imported. Right now, Australians don’t have a real choice when it comes to buying truly Australian tuna and supporting our local fishers and that’s something we’re here to change. We’re focused on getting East Coast Tuna into every independent grocer, health food store and retailer that values transparency, quality and backing local industry. 

The long-term dream? To bring tuna canning back to Australia. It won’t happen overnight, but we’re committed to doing the groundwork now to make that vision a reality and we’d love to have passionate stockists join us on the journey.