Fishpeople Seafood | Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky; Ready, Set, Salmon
Portland, Oregon-based supplier Fishpeople Seafood has made a name for itself as a cutting-edge producer of seafood kits, seafood jerky, and soups.
In 2017, the company’s Seafood Meyer Lemon & Herb Panko Wild Alaska Salmon Kit won the Seafood Excellence Award for “Best New Retail” product during Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts. After the win, Fishpeople only deepened its portfolio with more innovative additions, including its 2018 fall product line: Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky and “Ready, Set, Salmon!” Produced with wild Alaskan salmon, both products are outfitted with a code to trace the origins of the fish inside, upholding Fishpeople’s philosophy of full traceability.
“Ready, Set, Salmon!” is a ready-to-eat product that comes pre-cooked and pre-seasoned, in three flavor options – Rainbow Peppercorn, Slow-Roasted Original, and Lemon Zest + Herb. Meanwhile, Fishpeople’s Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky also comes ready-to-eat and pre-seasoned in a variety of flavors. In addition to Rainbow Peppercorn, the jerky comes in Lemon Zest + Herb, which features lemon and thyme; Sweet Smoky Original, which contains a hint of Pacific Northewest alderwood smoke; and Ancho Chili Lime, flavored with ancho chilies, a twist of lime, and a blend of spices.
In April 2019, Fishpeople unveiled three new flavors for its Wildly Delicious Seafood Kits line: Sweet & Spicy Teriyaki Crunch topped Wild Alaskan Salmon, Shrimp Scampi Crunch topped Wild Alaska Pollock, and Crunchy Street Taco topped Wild Alaska Pollock. The kits – which are available in Whole Foods nationwide, as well as through natural and independent grocers across the U.S.— “play off key seafood trends in the restaurant and food truck industries,” according to Fishpeople CEO Ken Plasse.
“We’re still making sustainable seafood something home cooks of all skill levels can easily whip up in around 10 minutes – now with even more delicious flavors,” Plasse told SeafoodSource in April.
In addition to its expansion of its meal-kit line earlier this year, Fishpeople has also gained distribution of its Ready, Set, Salmon! line. The company continues to focus predominantly on distributing the products on AmazonFresh and GoodEggs, along with Safeway stores in northern California, Plasse confirmed in April.
Here’s what Kipp Baratoff, co-founder of Fishpeople Seafood, had to recently share with SeafoodSource about the company’s innovation process for Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky, and the other products on offer in Fishpeople's portfolio.
What kind of trends have informed Fishpeople’s latest product innovations?
Fishpeople Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky is a convenient, on-the-go protein snack that addresses the trend of more people enjoying ‘mini meals.’ Today, we’re looking for snacks that are nutritionally satisfying and can satiate us between meals.
Additionally, many people are looking to decrease the amount of red meat they consume, and our Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky offers jerky eaters and protein seekers a tasty alternative with more nutritional benefits, and wonderfully unique flavors.
Which products have you seen really resonate in 2018/2019?
Fishpeople Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky has been flying off shelves. We are thrilled to report that it has been performing at the top of the jerky set against all other new jerky items across all meat types, in both natural and conventional retailers nationwide.
What key features serve to set Fishpeople’s new products apart in the market?
At Fishpeople, our relentless transparency and passion for sustainability are helping to restore habitats, fuel local coastal communities and bring new ease, excitement and peace of mind to fish lovers nationwide with delicious products that help make great seafood simple and accessible
Fishpeople Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky is one of the first sustainably wild-caught seafood products that people can throw in their bags and eat wherever they go — no prep, cooking or refrigeration required.
Bonus: How does Fishpeople approach product innovation?
At Fishpeople, everything we do starts with the consumer, but it’s the way we address those consumer needs that sets us apart. As a Certified B Corporation, we are held accountable to make sure we factor people, planet and where our profits are going into every business decision we make. Our innovations have to do right by rural coastal communities, the ocean and the people eating our products.
Photo courtesy of Fishpeople
