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Shoreside Support: Acquisitions in the Med & Looking Ahead
The demands of the modern day yacht owner are wild, wonderful, and immensely unpredictable in their variety. With requests ranging from provisioning superyachts in wildly remote destinations, to delivering specific wine imported from a small vineyard in the south of France, the task of the superyacht provisioner can be demanding and at times seemingly impossible. In response, a whole fleet of superyacht provisioning companies have risen through the ranks, whose modus operandi is the absolute necessity of predicting requirements, 6-star service and being ever on top of their game. At the forefront of these is Shoreside Support, whose global presence and established reputation spanning from Miami to Monaco allows them to successfully service over 150 superyachts with fresh, top-quality produce.
We spoke with Tommy Baldwin III, founder of Shoreside Support, to find out more about the specific challenges involved in superyacht provisioning, as well as catch up on the company’s exciting plans for the year ahead.
Last time we spoke was at the Monaco Yacht Show - how have things been at Shoreside Support since then?
Our Caribbean season has been incredible so far! Our team has grown since we last spoke, and we’re stronger than ever. We’ve established a lot of new client relationships this season that we hope to expand upon in the Med.
Any exciting projects in the pipeline for 2020?
Now as we approach the transition into the Med season, we’re securing new warehouses, offices, and trucks to ensure that this Med season will be the most seamless yet.
Past seasons have proven to be very busy around the Balearics, so we realized we needed a solid base in Spain. To do so, we’ve acquired the Spanish provisioning company, Frubal Provisions, to be our feet on the ground throughout all of mainland Spain and the islands.
What is the key to success in superyacht provisioning?
Transparency and communication and flexibility.
What are the biggest challenges you face as a superyacht provisioner?
We’ve realized that quality control is a deciding factor in ensuring a flawless delivery. Though we always ensure we’re sourcing from the best vendors available, we’ve implemented a double check system to guarantee that the items being delivered are as perfect as possible.
How has the Miami Yacht Show been for Shoreside Support? Is this an important region for you as a business?
Our primary branch of Shoreside is based in Miami so we are extremely invested in all of the superyacht activity that exists here. The show itself hasn’t been a massive focus for us in the past, but now that larger boats are entering the show each year, we can see it becoming an important opportunity for us in the future.
Finally, what are your predictions for the industry as a whole in the next 5 years - what trends do you see winning out?
The superyacht industry as a whole is extremely unpredictable. However, I definitely think yachts are trending towards provisioning locally rather than receiving shipments from far away places. We’re fully on-board for that, which is why we are so excited to acquire Frubal.
We look forward to hearing more exciting news from this dynamic company as it comes in, and wish them the best for the acquisition and the year ahead.
"We’ve realized that quality control is a deciding factor in ensuring a flawless delivery. "
"We’ve realized that quality control is a deciding factor in ensuring a flawless delivery. "
Tommy Baldwin III, Founder of Shoreside Support