Ocean Beauty | Echo Falls Applewood Smoked Sockeye Salmon Candy
Ocean Beauty found its innovative sweet spot in 2019.
At the start of the year, the Seattle, Washington-based seafood supplier rolled out a series of new premium smoked salmon products under its Echo Falls brand, including Applewood Smoked Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon Candy, Oak Whiskey Cask Smoked Scottish Atlantic Salmon, and Beechwood Smoked Norwegian Atlantic Salmon.
The launch was tailored to align with the Lenten season and the 2019 Seafood Expo North America event, and featured products with unique flavor profiles.
“We’re constantly on the lookout for new, innovative flavors and methods of preparation that give our customers unique, delicious flavors from top seafood regions,” said Ocean Beauty Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ron Christianson at the time of the launch.
Applewood Smoked Sockeye Salmon Candy, in particular, has seen great traction since being introduced at retail, Christianson said. The product is made from certified sustainable salmon from Bristol Bay, Alaska, which is cut into strips from whole fillets, cured in brown sugar and salt, and slowly smoked with Applewood.
The company also launched a new retail line of skin-packed seafood portions under its Ocean Beauty brand in the first half of 2019, which included Alaska sockeye salmon, Alaska halibut, Alaska cod, Pacific rockfish, farmed coho salmon, and tilapia. Additionally, in February 2019, Ocean Beauty announced its status as the U.S. distributor for Findus, a brand of Nomad Foods in Sweden.
Here’s what Christianson had to share with SeafoodSource recently about its innovation process for its Applewood Smoked Sockeye Salmon Candy, and the other products on offer in its portfolio.
What kind of trends have informed Ocean Beauty’s latest product innovations?
As a company with a long heritage of leading seafood brands, Ocean Beauty has experience in addressing consumer needs as they evolve over time. The trends on the forefront for us today are consumers’ increased desire for more convenience, seafood’s health profile, and the high interest in clean label products and transparency in food origin and processing.
What key features serve to set Ocean Beauty’s new products apart in the market?
We offer both traditional and innovative products, but what unites them is authenticity. With our brands you will always know the species and where it comes from. We also use authentic ingredients, recipes, and processing techniques. All this information is clearly stated on our packaging so there is full transparency for the consumer.
Which products have you seen really resonate in 2018/2019?
Our Echo Falls Applewood Smoked Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Candy has been a real hit this year. It’s made from certified sustainable, wild Bristol Bay sockeye that is cut into strips from whole fillets, cured in brown sugar and salt, and slowly smoked with applewood. This salmon not only tastes good, but does good, as well. Fifty percent of wholesale profits are invested back into the communities of Bristol Bay.
We have also had great feedback on our updated packaging for our Echo Falls and Ocean Beauty brands. The new packs have clean, bold designs that show the quality of the product and provide clear information on the species, origin, and flavor.
Bonus: How does Ocean Beauty approach product innovation?
We’re constantly on the lookout for new, innovative flavors and methods of preparation that match grocery and consumer trends to give our customers unique taste experiences from top seafood regions. We test new concepts using top quality sustainable Alaska seafood produced in our own plants or carefully sourced fish from other regions of the world. And we also work closely with our co-packers to leverage their comprehensive capabilities and knowledge on what is resonating in world markets. The result is innovative, on-trend products with full transparency.
Photo courtesy of Ocean Beauty
