The nation’s largest foodservice distributor is rolling out a new branded frozen seafood line as part of its long-term plan to increase sales of its private label fish and shellfish.

Houston-based Sysco announced to suppliers earlier this week that it would begin selling its frozen seafood items under its new Portico private label within the next 60 days.

The move caps three years of planning and development of the new brand and is the next step in Sysco’s effort to boost sales of its private-label seafood products, John Pollock, the company’s director of seafood merchandising, told the The Wave.

Over the past four years, Sysco has doubled sales of its private-label seafood, which now accounts for 40 percent of the company’s $1.5