Surimi seafood supplier Trans-Ocean Products, Inc., is using its recently launched Simply Surimi brand, featuring Alaska pollock, to attract more whole foods-oriented customers to the category in 2018, the company announced on 27 February.
The Simply Surimi line is made with wild Alaska pollock and eight other all-natural ingredients, and is considered “gluten-free, fat free, heart-healthy and a good source of protein,” according to Trans-Ocean. As such, the line has been selected as a lead sponsor for the Non-GMO Project’s Education and Outreach Program, which will run throughout the course of 2018.
The Non-GMO Project works to verify products that meet strict criteria for GMO avoidance, bestowing its “butterfly” logo on brands that meet the grade, including Simply Surimi, which will sport the logo on its packaging in the near future. As a sponsor for the Non-GMO Project, Simply Surimi products will “receive valuable exposure to a fast-growing audience of shoppers seeking clean-labeled foods,” Trans-Ocean said.
The surimi line will be showcased in a number of ways over the course of the sponsorship, including in content and banner ads on the LivingNonGMO.org website; in posts on Non-GMO Project social media channels; in shelf-talkers and endcap toppers for retail store use during Non-GMO Month in October; as well as in an array of branded education materials for retailers and consumers.
Simply Surimi will also be featured on television screens as part of upcoming programming from FoodQuest, a production company focused on the culinary arts, with segments also running on the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. TV personality Robin Leach and model and actress Kim Alexis will host the segment on FoodQuest, using the Simply Surimi brand to inspire “foodies and wellness-minded consumers with new product information and recipe ideas.” The FoodQuest segment will run for two minutes and showcase chefs preparing a Simply Surimi ceviche recipe; 1.7 million impressions over three broadcasts are expected from the TV spot.
“We are excited to begin the brand-building process for Simply Surimi with these targeted marketing activities,” Trans-Ocean Vice President of Sales and Marketing Lou Shaheen said. “We know from experience that consumers respond to messaging about the healthfulness, convenience, and great taste of surimi seafood. This marketing investment delivers strong benefits for our retail customers by attracting new shoppers to the refrigerated seafood case.”
Bellingham, Washington-based Trans-Ocean Products was founded in 1985 and is one of the largest processors of surimi seafoods in the United States. The company produces products under the brand names Simply Surimi, Crab Classic, Jaiba Supremo, and Seafood Snackers.
