With a family company in particular, culture is often overlooked as a "given."

Bornstein, which was founded in 1934, has gone through major changes through the generations of family ownership, and as time has gone on, the culture of the group has come to mean different things to different employees, both new and old.

CEO Colin Bornstein saw that the company needed to clarify to the entire group what it values were.

"We really needed to focus on marketing to our employees," Bornstein told IntraFish.

"We needed to be able to communicate who we are."

With its new brand roll out, the company highlighted its commitment to sustainability, employee development and independence -- all things that help the group's existing employees focus, but which also offer young prospective employees an attractive vision.

"Anybody under a certain age wants to know they're making a difference and that the business they work for is making a difference," Bornstein said.

Bornstein has two operations in Astoria, as well as facilities in Newport, Brookings, Warrenton and its home base of Bellingham, Washington.

The revamped brand will play a dual role -- it will also give the company a springboard to further expansion into consumer-facing areas in the retail space, for example.

"This is a journey," Bornstein said. Though a stronger retail brand presence is on the immediate agenda, "it will be anatural transition."

The company does have some branded items in stores such as Costco, but primarily its focus has been on foodservice, where the company is honing specs and processes. The lessons learned from there can be translated into a larger retail push -- eventually.

"You've got to grow, but if you want to go into retail, we have to do it in a very different way, and do it the right way," Bornstein said.

Processor

What's behind Bornstein's rebranding?