High Liner Foods
When the judges for the 27th Annual Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition tasted Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada-based High Liner Foods’ Alaska Wild Wings – Southern Style product, it was “like nothing [they] expected,” High Liner Foods Senior Vice President Marketing and Innovation Craig Murray said in January 2020.
“We knew this was a strong innovation in the seafood category, and the judges would be impressed, and it’s great to get recognized in this way,” Murray added.
Sure enough, High Liner took home the first-place prize in the Symphony’s foodservice category last year for its boneless, bite-sized wing product, which is made from 100 percent wild-caught Alaska pollock and a blend of southern-style herbs and spices.
“It’s great that one of our first appetizers and snacking innovations is getting noticed, but at the end of the day, it’s really about elevating our offering for operators,” Murray said. “The appetizers and snacks our team is developing, the innovations they’re creating, are really adding value. They are landing on menus across North America and we’re seeing really positive feedback from operators.”
In addition to foodservice, Alaska Wild Wings products have also been debuted in further channels.
“The wild wing innovation is also being launched at retail across North America,” Murray said. “And again, we’re seeing really strong support for the product from retailers and interest from consumers, so we’re expecting our new Alaska Wild Wings to fly off the shelves.”
Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) Executive Director Julie Decker said the 27th Annual Alaska Symphony of Seafood contest – the last one held before the COVID-19 pandemic hit – drew 20 separate entrants. High Liner’s Alaska Wild Wings were entered into the Seafood Excellence Awards, which have also been put on hold as a result of the pandemic.
As of 1 September, the Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition is back on, with AFDF accepting entries until 4 October, 2021. The first-place winners from each category will receive booth space at the 2022 Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts, taking place 13 to 15 March, 2022, as well as comped entries into SENA’s Seafood Excellence Awards. Alaska Air Cargo will also provide airfare to and from the trade show.
Photo courtesy of High Liner Foods
