Trident Seafoods, Thunder’s Catch, E&E Foods, and more companies took home top prizes at the 2025 Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition.
The annual event, hosted by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF), aims to reward excellence in seafood product development, honoring innovative, value-added products that reflect the U.S. state of Alaska’s commitment to quality and sustainability.
“It’s inspiring to see the creativity and innovation shown by this year’s winners,” AFDF CEO Kristy Clement said after the 23 October, 2025 event, which welcomed nearly 300 guests to the King Street Ballroom in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. “Each product carries the spirit of Alaska – one built on community, pride, and excellence.”
Seattle-based Trident Seafoods was the winner of two awards during last year’s competition, securing both the Most Innovative award and the People’s Choice award.
In the former category, Trident won for its wellFURst Calming Support Freeze-Dried Health Supplement for Dogs. The company’s wellFURst line of products, which includes supplements and fish oils, are made using Alaska pollock “to help dogs navigate stressful situations, like thunderstorms and vet visits, featuring active ingredients that keep your pet happy and healthy,” according to Trident.
“Trident’s wellFURst brand is leading the future of pet wellness by offering a long-desired product for the right situation made the sustainable way,” Trident Director of Business Development Analise Gonzales said. “We believe in wellFURst’s purpose to not be just another pet brand. We’re here to be the go-to for thoughtful, ingredient-driven pet wellness.”
In the People’s Choice category, which is selected by attendees at the event, Trident placed first for its Crispy Battered Sauceable Wild Alaska Pollock Nuggets, which are “crispy, bite-sized, flavor-flexible” nuggets that are tailored for foodservice customers searching for global flavor profiles, ways to enhance seasonal limited time offers, and customizable menu builds, the company said.
Elsewhere at the event, Sandpoint, Idaho, U.S.A.-based Thunder’s Catch won Best New Retail Product for its Wild Salmon Curry. The product, which comes in 9-ounce pouches and is sold in around 300 stores across the U.S., contains yellow curry, coconut milk broth, potatoes, carrots, and sockeye salmon caught in Bristol Bay, Alaska by the firm’s 32-foot commercial fishing vessel, F/V Thunder.
“Whether you’re at your table at home or in your tent at basecamp,” the company’s Wild Salmon Curry is easy to prepare, requiring five minutes to heat up on a stovetop or just one minute in the microwave, according to Thunder’s Catch.
“This ‘Best Retail’ win validates not just its quality, flavor, and convenience but the value of seafood with a story. Fully scaled, poised, and ready, we’re set to bring this recipe – and our passion as the Bristol Bay fishermen behind it – into grocery aisles, menus, and foodservice nationwide,” Thunder’s Catch CoOwner Kara Berlin told SeafoodSource after the event.
Also in the Best New Retail Product category, Homer, Alaska-based Wild Alaskan Company took home second place for its Sockeye Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze, and Seattle-based Eva’s Wild took home third place for its Eva’s Wild Salmon Jerky.
In the Best New Foodservice Product category, Renton, Washington, U.S.A.- based E&E Foods won for its 49th Star Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon Italian Meatballs.
“We have introduced several out-of-the-box items over the past years. Our 49th Star Italian Salmon Meatballs is one of those products which gives the consumer a healthy alternative to the traditional beef and pork meatballs without compromising flavor or texture,” E&E Senior Vice President of ValueAdded Operations Bob O’Bryant said.
Kachemak Kelp, a mission-driven innovation hub that aims to support the growth of seaweed mariculture in Alaska, also took home a top prize at last year’s event, locking down the Beyond the Plate award for its Selkie Soak, which is a bathing kit containing mineral salts, calendula petals, and sugar kelp “grown and harvested from the cool, clean, nutrient-rich waters of Kachemak Bay, Alaska.”
Dried and processed right off the docks in Homer, Alaska, the sugar kelp used in Kachemak’s Selkie Soak emollient compounds, marine minerals, and nutrients [supports] collagen production and healthy, well-hydrated skin.” Additionally, the magnesium-rich mineral salt in the kit helps to promote relaxation, with the calendula petals contributing to the mix with powerful antioxidants that reduce stress.
The 2025 Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition was judged by a panel featuring some of Seattle’s leading culinary and seafood industry professionals. The panel comprised Marisa Christenson, the director of dining and beverage operations for cruise company Holland America Line; Craig Glaser, a manager and fish buyer at Pike Place Market; Katie Goldberg, the co-founder of marketing firm Tastemaker Comms; Jason Hedlund, the principal category merchant of procurement for seafood at retailer Whole Foods Market; Charles Koh, a food writer and the founder of food publication EatSeattle; and Taichi Kitamura, the executive chef and owner of Sushi Kappo Tamura.
