Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based Channel Fish Processing used this year’s Seafood Expo North America (SENA) to promote a bevy of new products.
Some of the new items, available branded or private label to retailers, include Super Fish Stick Panko-Breaded Salmon Nuggets, Jalapeno Popper Shrimp, Mango Habanero Shrimp, Chicken Fried Wild Alaska Sole Tenders, Super Fish Sticks, and Mini Salmon Arepas.
“You have to get more interesting flavors in front of people,” Channel Fish President Tom Zaffiro told SeafoodSource at SENA, explaining that the salmon arepas were a particularly big hit at the show.
Channel Fish Marketing Manager Jill Monti added that generation alpha consumers are “really interested in global flavors” and the Mini Salmon Arepas and Breaded Salmon Nuggets give kids a different format to eat seafood if they don’t typically eat fish.
Another new item Channel Fish had on display at the expo was Fitfish – a box of 48 Alaska pollock fillets – sold direct-to-consumer (DTC) via a dedicated website for the product and targeted toward bodybuilders and athletes.
“The idea actually came from our partner, American Seafoods, that has a bodybuilder on their staff,” Zaffiro said. “Seafood is a perfect choice for athletes and others looking for lean protein, and what we discovered is that most bodybuilders don’t have a go-to fish; most eat whatever is readily available and affordable at retail.”
Channel Fish executives will assess how Fitfish performs before making a decision on the DTC space overall.
“We have had success with private labeling and co-packing for DTC in the past, so we’ll see how things go,” Zaffiro said.
While Channel Fish, founded in 1946 on a Boston pier, has roots in fresh seafood, its mix today is now around 25 percent fresh fish and around 75 percent value-added products.
Over the past few years, the company spent about USD 12 million (EUR 10.4 million) in equipment upgrades, including breading machines and equipment to produce sauces.
Thanks to these types of upgrades, the supplier has grown its seafood sales to retailers and foodservice customers, as well as to schools around the U.S., with the firm now selling around 1 million pounds annually.
Zaffiro said that business has an opportunity to grow more now thanks to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is likely to impact the amount of seafood that schools and federal nutrition programs purchase.
