The Thai Union-owned King Oscar brand recently rolled out jarred Yellowfin Tuna Fillets in the U.S.
The easy-pour, whole fillet release jars include select fillets of wild-caught yellowfin tuna, paired with gourmet condiments. Flavors include: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Green Olives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Jalapeno Peppers, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.
“The product was designed with indulgence at its core. There are consumers who enjoy superior quality and King Oscar sees a void in the marketplace,” King Oscar President John Engle told SeafoodSource.
King Oscar combined high-quality ingredients and placed them in glass jars, “to allow consumers to visually enjoy the product prior to purchase,” Engle said.
“The glass allows the product to show off its elegance. The jars will carry a premium price, and a glass package minimizes the guesswork a consumer has to make,” Engle said.
Retailers’ receptivity and acceptance for the new King Oscar Yellowfin Tuna Fillets line is ahead of schedule, Engle said, adding that the supplier is targeting the traditional grocery channel, specialty markets, and e-commerce.
“We began shipping the King Oscar Yellowfin Tuna Fillets to a half dozen customers last month, and we are in the process of presenting the line … to our customers who are in the process of conducting category reviews,” Engle said.
During the three-year development of the new line, King Oscar representatives visited King Oscar consumers on the East Coast to get their feedback.
“We also spoke to consumers who were proven heavy users of premium glass-jarred tuna. We wanted to understand if they wanted something more than what they currently were finding on-shelf,” Engle said.
The supplier then conducted in-home and in-hall tests with samples of King Oscar products and competing products.
“We observed the way they removed the product from the jars. We spoke to them about how they consumed premium tuna. We spoke to them about each and every species of tuna and the accompanying ingredients,” Engle said.
The consumer test “told us exactly what we needed to hear,” Engle said, noting that “at the end, our consumer tests provided King Oscar with the highest purchase intent scores of any product innovation in my 20-year history with the brand.”
Earlier this year, King Oscar launched Brisling Sardine in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with White Wine Vinegar and Capers.
“It is a tangy–savory recipe that is light and unique with whole capers in every can, which pair nicely with the lightly smoked Brisling sardines and its hallmark extra virgin olive oil,” Engle said.
Photo courtesy of King Oscar
