Alaska King Salmon Season Begins, Looks Above Average
The first king salmon from Copper River, weighing 34 pounds, landed in Seattle on an Alaska Airlines flight direct from the pristine waters of Alaska, marking the beginning of what industry leaders expect to be an above-average run for the some of the most delectable salmon in the world. Representatives from Trident Seafoods, the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association, Alaska Airlines and Chef Tom Douglas were on-hand to greet the first of these prized fish.
With 50 years of industry leadership, Trident Seafoods takes pride in distributing Copper River king salmon, known for its delicious, rich taste and high content of omega-3s. Following Trident’s commitment to fleet-to-fork processing, the salmon is delivered from Alaskan waters within 24-48 hours, directly to knowledgeable fishmongers, esteemed chefs, and renowned restaurants nationwide. This ensures consumers with discerning palates can experience the exceptional quality of Copper River salmon at its freshest, leading to unforgettable dining experiences.
“We are very excited to bring in the first king salmon from Copper River and are grateful for all the independent fishermen that continue to choose to be our partners and deliver the best quality and freshest fish to the world. Our history of partnership with Copper River goes back many years and we look forward to continuing working together in responsibly sharing the best from Alaska with the world,” said Joe Bundrant, CEO of Trident Seafoods.
Consumers can find Copper River salmon in numerous restaurants and retailers, including in Chef Tom Douglas restaurants, where he will feature Copper River king salmon in a mouthwatering dish at his Seattle restaurants, including Palace Kitchen, Carlie Room, Lola, Etta’s, and Sea Town. A portion of proceeds from these dishes, from May 16-20, will be donated to the Ballard Food Bank, with Trident Seafoods matching the donation 100 percent.
“I’ve been cooking Copper River salmon for many years and this year I think it’s fitting to partner once again with Trident to support our community by donating proceeds to the Ballard Food Bank and supporting people in need,” said Douglas.
Christa Hoover, the executive director of the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association reflects, “As this momentous season launches, we are so pleased that we’re also celebrating our 40th Anniversary. It’s been incredible to see and let people know how much the fishery has evolved and yet remains steadfastly committed to quality for the consumer.”
To bring the fish to tables so quickly, it’s imperative to have immediate transportation from Alaska to the rest of the country.
“Alaska Air Cargo has a special partnership with the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized worldwide for its sustainable fishing practices,” said Adam Drouhard, managing director at Alaska Air Cargo. “Our cargo employees across more than 110 airports are working around the clock to ensure we deliver the first catch of wild Copper River salmon to market, often within 24 hours of being pulled from the water.”
Copper River King Salmon is available through June, at retailers and restaurants across the country.
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Seafood Products Debut in Red Lobster Frozen Food Line
Red Lobster is bringing the heat, and seafood, to the frozen aisle with the launch of its first line of Red Lobster frozen food seafood products available at retail. Inspired by craveable guest favorites, the new Red Lobster frozen food retail entrées include Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp, which combines the Cheddar Bay Biscuit with sweet, succulent shrimp, and Coconut Shrimp Bites, both making it easier than ever to enjoy delicious seafood whenever the craving hits.
A quick and convenient dinner, the perfect party appetizer or a reliable late-night shrimpy snack, the lineup of new seafood products builds on the existing retail line of Cheddar Bay Biscuit offerings and features:
- CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT SHRIMP – What happens when warm, buttery Cheddar Bay Biscuits and tender, crispy shrimp collide? You get NEW Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp. It’s impossible to eat just one!
- COCONUT SHRIMP BITES – These bite-sized goodies are slightly sweet, perfectly crunchy and dangerously delicious. The Coconut Shrimp Bites are tossed in real shredded coconut and paired with the Sweet Chili Sauce.
- CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT COD – Wild-caught cod breaded with legendary Cheddar Bay Biscuit seasoning makes this like no other fish you’ll ever get from the sea. It’s so easy to make you’ll want it on the weekly dinner rotation.
- PARMESAN CRUSTED GARLIC & HERB STUFFED SHRIMP – Sweet shrimp stuffed with garlic, herbs and cream cheese coated with a parmesan-crusted breading, it’s the perfect bite of shrimp every time. It’s second to yum at every meal.
The new frozen seafood offerings join a lineup of popular biscuit retail products including Red Lobster’s award-winning FROZEN, READY-TO-BAKE CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS, GLUTEN-FREE CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT MIX, TRADITIONAL MIX, and HONEY BUTTER BISCUIT MIX. Visit RED LOBSTER AT HOME for recipes and meal inspiration and to find where to catch Red Lobster at Home creations in your local retailer.
Red Lobster is the world’s largest and most-loved seafood restaurant company, headquartered in Orlando, Fla. With a proud heritage and an even brighter future, Red Lobster is focused on serving the highest quality, freshly prepared seafood that is traceable, sustainable and responsibly-sourced. To learn more about Red Lobster’s sourcing standards and where the seafood we serve comes from, please visit WWW.REDLOBSTER.COM/SEAFOODWITHSTANDARDS.
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NaturalShrimp Aquaculture Company Launches Online Delivery, E-Commerce Program
NaturalShrimp, Inc., a biotechnology aquaculture company that has developed and patented the first shrimp-focused commercially operational Recirculating Aquaculture System, has launched its online ordering home delivery program and e-commerce website at www.naturalshrimpharvest-select.com. A link to the online retail store is also available on the NaturalShrimp website at www.naturalshrimp.com.
NaturalShrimp’s Harvest-Select online retail store is led by NaturalShrimp chef and director of e-commerce Douwe Iedema. Product availability includes fresh harvested heads-on shrimp and Chef Douwe’s long-awaited shrimp cocktail sauce. Unique NaturalShrimp sauces and spices, recipe books and instructional videos for the home cook will be available soon as well.
Customers visiting the website can build their box by selecting raw or cooked shrimp and choosing a sauce. Once the order is placed, NaturalShrimp humanely harvests, chill kills, and packages the order into containers with vacuum-sealed lids that are then plastic sealed. The box is packed with gel packs and peanut foam to ensure quality-control and freshness. After the order has been packed, the “direct to your door” order is shipped out the same day anywhere within the continental United States. The first orders are expected to be shipped Dec. 12.
The NaturalShrimp Distribution Center located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is completed and the Company is ready to receive and process its product for packaging and shipping for the online ordering home delivery program. In addition, the Distribution Center will make it possible to process thousands of pounds of shrimp not only for home delivery, but as a hub for pickup and delivery to local chefs.
“The decision to launch the new e-commerce program was driven by the ongoing demand for retail and direct-to-consumer sales of NaturalShrimp,” said Iedema. “The online platform offers our fresh, naturally grown shrimp and sauces, and was built with the capability to evolve with opportunities to provide our customers additional products such as pre-cooked shrimp, marinades, seasonings and other sauces, and perhaps eventually prepared meals. We are looking forward to exploring the multifaceted ways in which the home delivery program and e-commerce website will help drive our expansion strategy.”
Gerald Easterling, CEO of NaturalShrimp, said, “This launch creates a tremendous opportunity to further our mission to provide the freshest shrimp and seafood to local markets everywhere, with the ability to now deliver our product to customers across the country. This direct-to-consumer expansion diversifies and complements our commercial distribution strategy including our planned U.S. facility expansion, partnership with US Foods, South Texas area, and the continued success of our live shrimp sales program. We are highly focused on expanding our sales channels and geographic footprint as we continue our growth strategy.”
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