The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded USD 118.8 million (EUR 105 million) in seafood contracts to U.S. processors.
Announced 13 July, the results show many of the largest U.S. seafood processors landed major contracts to supply the USDA with Atlantic pollock fillets, haddock fillets, rockfish fillets, Pacific shrimp, Pacific whiting fillets, wild salmon fillets, and canned salmon.
The solicitation, which closed 29 June, sought bids on 11,700 cases of frozen pollock fillets, 900 cases of frozen haddock fillets, 3.7 million pounds of frozen salmon fillets, 53,100 cases of frozen Pacific rockfish fillets, 238,500 cases of frozen salad shrimp products, 50,400 cases of frozen Pacific whiting fillets, and 753,200 cases of canned red salmon. Deliveries will take place between August and the end of January 2024.
The biggest winner was Clackamas, Oregon-based Dulcich Inc., which does business as Pacific Seafood, which received USD 34.5 million (EUR 30.2 million). Seattle, Washington-based OBI Seafood won USD 30.7 million (EUR 27.3 million) and Seattle-headquartered Trident Seafoods received USD 20.1 million (EUR 17.9 million).
Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A.-based Bornstein Seafoods won USD 11.9 million (EUR 10.6 million); Westport, Washington-based Ocean Gold Seafoods won USD 8.9 million (EUR 7.9 million); Bellevue, Washington-based Peter Pan Seafood took USD 5 million (EUR 4.5 million); Seattle-based Orca Bay Foods received USD 4.7 million (EUR 4.2 million), and Braintree, Massachusetts-based Channel Fish won USD 3 million (EUR 2.7 million) in USDA contracts.
The USDA has purchased a massive amount of salmon, pollock, and other seafood products for its National School Lunch Program and other federal food assistance programs over the past year, including two other large purchases within the past month.
Photo courtesy of USDA
