Last week, Acme Smoked Fish Corp. added King Salmon Jerky to its extensive mix of smoked seafood products. Marketed under the Ruby Bay® brand, King Salmon Jerky is labeled as all natural and packaged in 1.25-ounce, re-sealable “snack packs.”
The Brooklyn, N.Y., company is among those tapping into a growing category — snack foods. Americans are snacking more than ever, with retail sales of packaged snacks forecasted to jump from USD 64 billion in 2010 to USD 77 billion by 2015, according to Packaged Facts’ “Snack Foods in the U.S.” report, released last June.
Why? Americans are eating out less frequently, they’re more active than ever, and they’re more health conscious. What’s more, Americans are becoming more selective — they’re increasingly unwilling to sacrifice taste and quality when snacking, as their palates become more adventurous and sophisticated.
“Jerky in general has become a treat that is enjoyed by people with sophisticated palates,” said Gabriel Viteri, VP of strategy and business development for Acme Smoked Fish. “Salmon jerky is slowly catching up to beef jerky, but it still has a long way to go.”
Fish is, however, widely considered to be the healthier of the two proteins, giving it an advantage over beef, especially when it comes to fitness-minded consumers looking for a protein snack to devour on the go. And it appears that a growing number of seafood companies are tapping into this upper echelon of the snack-food category.
Oregon Seafoods of Coos Bay, Ore., recently introduced Smoked Albacore Tuna, Sea Salt Albacore Tuna and Smoked Alaskan Red Sockeye Salmon to its 3-ounce Sport Pouch™ line, marketed under the Sea Fare Pacific™ brand. In an audio interview with SeafoodSource early this month, Mike Babcock, the company’s owner, talked about the line’s potential, especially among outdoorsy types. (Outdoor recreation retailer REI is among those carrying the line.)
Even clothing retailer Patagonia is getting in on the action, with plans to introduce three varieties of Wild Salmon Jerky marketed under its Patagonia Provisions brand — Smoked Black Pepper, Smoked Chili Pepper and Smoked Teriyaki. (The launch was scheduled for late November but was delayed due to an issue with its supplier.)
Fish jerky and other seafood-based snacks may never compete on a grand scale with the likes of potato chips, crackers and nuts. But there’s a lot of room for growth, especially for a high-end snack that can be sold across multiple channels, from traditional supermarkets to upscale food retailers to outdoor recreation and clothing retailers like REI and Patagonia.
“Salmon jerky is a shelf stable product that can be offered in many different markets and channels,” said Viteri.
