Supermarket Perimeter - June 2021 - 56

Seafood
Whitefish
BY ANDY NELSON
COD, HALIBUT AND SNAPPER are among the top sellers among many
types of whitefish marketed by Bensenville, Ill.-based Fortune Fish &
Gourmet, said Keane Amdahl, a Fortune marketing director.
The Alaskan halibut season, which kicks off in mid-March and runs
into fall, is always a favorite of both consumers and fishmongers.
" It's pretty highly anticipated, " Amdahl said. " It's a really meaty,
substantial fish with a mild but good flavor. It's clean and fresh, not like
an oily fish that might turn people off. "
The fact that it's wild-caught also is increasingly attractive to today's
sustainability-minded consumers, he added.
" It's a very well-managed fishery. Customers are always becoming a
little more aware of those things, and we try to talk them through it. "
At its retail stores in Minnesota, Fortune trains staff to discuss
sustainability and other issues with customers in-store. The company
also hosts classes on sustainability that feature cooking demos.
" We try to make ourselves available, " Amdahl said.
Another whitefish favorite at Fortune, cod, is popular year-round,
Amdahl said.
And an up-and-comer in the category for the company is an
aquaculture striped bass sourced from Baja Mexico.
While the variety is farmed, it is done so in a clean, sustainable way
that Fortune customers have found very appealing, Amdahl said.
" It's a great grilling fish, " he said. " It's the only true farmed striped
bass. You see a lot of hybrid striped bass, that are a cross of saltwater
and freshwater. This is a true striped sea bass. "
The fish ships under the Pacifico brand, which has proven useful in
generating recognition and repeat sales. " We push brand recognition
with certain things, it helps with understanding sustainability.
Customers are starting to know this fish. "
During the pandemic, Fortune has seen an uptick of sales in bronzini,
whole and yellowtail snapper and many other varieties of whitefish, as
home chefs stuck at home seek out variety in their protein options.
For many, it's turned into a habit, he said, which is one sign that it's a
behavior that's here to stay.
" I think at least to some degree, the trend of people cooking fish at
home will continue " after the pandemic is over, he said. " At our retail
stores we see people all the time, buying weekly or biweekly, when
before they rarely if ever came in. People are doing sushi at home,
grilling, etc. "
One trend within that trend is increased purchases of whole fish,
Amdahl said.
" Whole fish, prior to the pandemic, is not something we sold a whole
lot of it. It's fantastic, a great way to go. It's a more cost-effective buy,
whole fish, and you can do more with it. "
Peter Pan rolls out
two new cod products
Anchorage, Alaska-based Peter
Pan Seafood is introducing
Miso Marinated Wild Alaska
Black Cod and Pacific Cod to its
whitefish product roster.
The products were
Pacifico's is the
only aquaculture
striped sea bass
on the market.
developed for a key retailer
with consultation from a
professional chef, said Ken
Taylor, vice president of
purchasing, sales and logistics.
" We're seeing black cod grow
in popularity in the US, " Taylor
said. " People really enjoy its
buttery flavor. "
Peter Pan's top whitefish sellers are Pacific cod and
halibut, the varieties consumers have most experience cooking
with, he said.
The company's current lineup of Alaskan whitefish includes black
cod, halibut, Pacific cod and pollock. Peter Pan fulfills orders for fillet
and portion specifications per its retailers' requests for their full-service
and self-service customers, Taylor said.
In recent years, whitefish fisheries have enjoyed good management,
and most species' numbers are healthy, he added. That's made it easier
56 - JUNE 2021
supermarketperimeter.com
FORTUNE, PETER PAN, SEAPAK
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Supermarket Perimeter - June 2021

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