Company founder Tommy Baldwin III made his first provision delivery in 2015 at the Sag Harbor Yacht Club in New York. From then on, he has utilised his experience and knowledge of the industry to create Shoreside Support - the young superyacht provisions company that has quickly become a global leader after recently acquiring its 200th client. With their order book filling up, notable clients already include the 95.2-metre Kismet, Lürssen’s 85-metre Areti, Lionheart, the 126.2-metre Octopus, Tatoosh, and the Devonport built Vava II.
“In our infancy, 100% of our new clients came from me walking on the docks and cold calling boats. Now, I would say we gain around 10% of our clients from cold calling and 90% from word of mouth or similar. Cold calling, however, is still one of my favourite activities!” explains Tommy. Soon to be a team of 20 by the end of 2019, the company works to provide 50+ metre superyachts with a range of meats, seafood, fruit and vegetables, dairy, dry goods, international and gourmet products, furniture, electronics, galley equipment and toiletries from their bases in Miami, Monaco, New York and St Thomas. 
Photo: Bruno Buisson / SuperYacht TimesTaking the time out from launching their latest operations in the Mediterranean and Asia, Tommy and his team had the pleasure of sponsoring the first and second place winners of the coveted Antigua Charter Yacht Show 2018 Chefs Competition. Chef Peter Frost, or “Frostie,” of 65-metre Eternity was awarded first place as a result of the competition, with Chef Micail Swindells and Dom Horsey of Turquoise’s Go placing second. 
Having been supplied by Shoreside Support with Petrossian caviar, wagyu from Snake River Farms, Armand De Brignac champagne, Harpke Family Farms’ micro herbs and edible flowers, contestants were challenged to create a three-course ‘New Year Eve’s Dinner Party’ in just 30 minutes. 
Despite the company’s infancy, Tommy and his team have established a bullet-proof strategy of how best to meet client requests, regardless of how extraordinary. “We strategically place team members in the most emerging and popular markets so the demands of our clients can be met with personal attention by people who have local knowledge and connections. This is a huge advantage compared to blindly shipping items from one of our offices and relying on third-party freight or logistics companies,” commented Tommy, who ensures that he can personally visit vendors regularly “to verify product quality, the facilities and maintain personal relationships. Personal attention and relationships are vital in this industry.”
Photo: Tom van Oossanen / SuperYacht TimesAlthough they have served luxury superyachts such as 74.5-metre Elandess, 62.97-metre Polar Star and Ulysses, not all provisions have been high-end. “We also provide anything and everything for the crew. The crew can range from 15 to 70+ members, so they consume quite a lot. With our buying power, we are able to provide all of the crew’s food, beverages and even toiletries at competitive prices to a grocery market all within the crew’s budget.” Whatever the request, this new, fresh-faced company will ensure their top priorities are: “sustainability, product integrity and safe handling,” which will surely secure a bright future in this ever-changing industry.