Two companies were recognized at the 2023 Seafood Excellence Awards – a competition rewarding innovation in the North American seafood industry that is held annually at Seafood Expo North America (SENA) – for having the Best New Retail Product and Best New Foodservice Product.
Last year’s winners – Thunder’s Catch and Netuno USA – were selected from a pool of finalists by a panel of judges comprising seafood buyers and industry experts.
Sandpoint, Idaho, U.S.A.-based Thunder’s Catch received the Best New Retail Product honor last year for its Wild Salmon Chowder. The prize-winning chowder features shelf-stable packaging and is designed to be eaten on the go.
Since winning the award in 2023, Thunder’s Catch Co-Founder Kara Berlin told SeafoodSource that interest in the company’s products has spiked, with sales skyrocketing 127 percent.
“It’s rare to find a ready-to-eat product that is clean. It uses real, whole ingredients that you’d find in your own kitchen at home, it doesn’t contain any preservatives, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, it has a two-year shelf life, and it is delicious,” Berlin said. “We’re able to seal in the fresh ingredients in the process, [making the product] comparable to a freshly home-cooked meal, rather than a can of soup. The packaging also lends itself to total convenience. It’s ready to ‘heat and eat.’ You can microwave it or place the pouch itself in boiling water and have a nutritious, delicious, and nourishing meal in fewer than three minutes.”
Berlin and her husband Taran White started the company over a decade ago, when they began distributing Alaska-sourced seafood products at local farmers markets in Idaho. They eventually grew their product offerings to incorporate provisions such as smoked salmon, salmon spreads, burgers, and jerky.
“We’ve received so much traction and momentum in the grocery and retail sector that we’re continuing to propel forward. But, we also see ample opportunity in the outdoor industry’s retail space, which was the initial concept for the chowder,” Berlin said. “There is so much opportunity that feels within very close reach. Production is no longer a limitation, but focusing where to put our energy and bandwidth as two individuals takes some strategy.”
The company is currently finalizing its “pantry” product line to include two new varieties of sockeye salmon soups, as well as a shelf-stable smoked sockeye salmon pouch.
“Winning the award certainly propelled an increase in demand from both retailers and direct customers. It’s so encouraging how a handshake and personal conversation with a retailer at SENA immediately after winning the award can quickly catapult into large purchase orders,” Berlin said.
Thunder’s Catch does not yet plan to expand internationally, Berlin said, with the company continuing to focus on the North American market for the time being.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A.-based seafood company Netuno USA was recognized for its Tambaqui Ribs product, which won Best New Foodservice Product at the 2023 Seafood Excellence Awards.
“This product includes Amazonian freshwater fish from Brazil that replaces and complements chicken wings and drumsticks, as well as pork ribs, for a seafood alternative for pescatarian customers,” Netuno Marketing Coordinator Salvatore Frosceno said.
A familiar product to South Americans, Tambaqui Ribs feature a fish the remains little-known in the North American market. The product can be consumed as a snack, appetizer, or main course dish.
“The hope is to continue to educate consumers about it and get them to give it a try, allowing us to grow to additional markets expanding from South Florida,” Frosceno said.
Since winning the award, the Tambaqui Ribs have been picked up by a sports bar chain in Florida. Netuno also has launched its garlic and herb shrimp burgers and has plans to launch additional products via its Passion Foods brand this year.
“We are also launching a high-quality, once-frozen line of yellowfin tuna, all of which will be either Marine Stewardship Council-certified or [involved in a] fishery improvement project. It will come in different forms like saku blocks, steaks, ground meat, and, of course, loins,” Frosceno said.
Finalists for the 2023 Seafood Excellence Awards in the foodservice category included King & Prince Seafood and Multiexport, while finalists for the retail category included Aquamar Seafood, Choice Canning Company, East Coast Seafood, Peter Pan Seafood, Secret Island, Tai Foong USA, and Wholey Seafood.
The 2024 Seafood Excellence Awards will be presented at SENA on Sunday, 10 March, in the Wave Makers’ Zone in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Finalists’ and winners’ products will be on display in the New Product Showcase throughout the duration of the three-day expo.
