Our Story

Hey there! We’re Jesse and Karmen, owners of Gustavus Packing Co., a husband-and-wife owned and operated business based in Gustavus, Alaska.

​

We’re Montana-raised high school sweethearts whose path didn’t always point north. After attending the University of Montana, Jesse studying business consulting and Karmen studying fine and media arts, we thought we had a clear picture of what our future would look like.

​

Then Alaska changed everything...

​

In 2016, we took a chance on a job in Ketchikan, working on the docks processing fish and helping bring people’s bucket-list trips to life. What was supposed to be temporary quickly became something we couldn’t walk away from. Season after season, we kept coming back, spending summers in Alaska and winters in Montana finishing school and working in the ski industry, another big passion, not because it was easy, but because it felt right.

​

Eventually, we realized this wasn’t just a seasonal job. It was the life we wanted.

​

In 2023, we made the decision to leave what was familiar in Ketchikan and move to Gustavus to chase that dream head-on, bringing an old fish processing plant, a community staple, back to life. It was a leap of faith, full of unknowns, but one we believed in.

​

By 2026, we took an even bigger step, purchasing the land, putting down roots, and building something that’s truly our own.

​

Today, we take immense pride in preserving your catch with the highest level of care and quality. What started as a leap of faith has become a life we’re proud to build, and one we’re grateful to share with every customer who trusts us with their fish.