SEATTLE, WASHINGTON—As part of its North American Partnership Program, the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced recently that it will partner for the first time with Portland, Oregon-based company Fishpeople to promote their two meal kits featuring Wild Alaska Pollock. The company, founded by Duncan Berry and Kipp Baratoff, makes choosing pure, responsibly-sourced seafood both simple and wildly delicious for consumers nationwide.
“The GAPP Board of Directors knew instantly that the proposal from Fishpeople fit squarely within the goals of the Program—delivering Wild Alaska Pollock to new consumers using new channels,” said Craig Morris, Chief Executive Officer of GAPP. “Fishpeople’s two new meal kits—featuring innovative flavors—do just that: help new consumers prepare our delicious fish in their home kitchens and fall in love with the protein.”
The company recently unveiled three new flavors of its Wildly Delicious Seafood Kits—two of which center around Wild Alaska Pollock—at Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts on March 17. The company won the 2017 SENA Retail Excellence Award for its three original kit flavors. Each Seafood Kit includes two wild, sustainably-caught fish fillets, a chef-crafted topper, moisture-lock foil for easy prep, and step-by step cooking instructions. New flavors include Wild Alaska Pollock with Street Taco Crunch and Wild Alaska Pollock with Shrimp Scampi Crunch.
“This is a big step forward in making Wild Alaska Pollock a more recognizable species for people across the country. It has always been our mission at Fishpeople to help people realize the benefits and potential of undervalued species, and we jumped at the opportunity to strengthen that mission alongside GAPP,” said Kipp Baratoff, co-founder of Fishpeople.
The North American Partnership Program was conceived by the GAPP Board of Director to recognize and provide support for companies throughout the Wild Alaska Pollock industry who are looking to bring new, innovative products to market or introduce the fish to food influencers and decision-makers at forums where it hasn’t previously had visibility. The organization received a record number of applications for the second round of funding through the program, and the Board selected 12 of those proposals to move forward and receive funding. For 2019-2020, GAPP has set aside fully $3 million towards this initiative and has now earmarked nearly $1.3 million to date towards exciting partnerships in these first two rounds of funding.
“Research consistently shows that U.S. consumers struggle to prepare seafood—including Wild Alaska Pollock,” said Morris. “Fishpeople has taken that research and created a product that delivers bold flavors to consumers in a way that’s easy to prepare and accessible. That’s the trifecta and GAPP is excited to raise consumers’ awareness of this ingenious product and help them fall in love with Wild Alaska Pollock.”
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About GAPP
The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) is dedicated to the marketing of once-frozen pollock products, harvested and processed in Alaska. A non-profit Alaska corporation formed in 2003, GAPP is working to promote Genuine Alaska Pollock in major whitefish markets around the world, with a focus on Europe, North America and Japan. It is our goal to educate both seafood buyers and consumers about the superior benefits of Genuine Alaska Pollock®. www.alaskapollock.org
About Fishpeople
Fishpeople is a different kind of seafood company. Founded in Portland, Oregon in 2012, Fishpeople exists to make waves in the industry by connecting people with the story behind their fish. In bringing the world’s best seafood from the ocean to your plate, Fishpeople, a Certified “B” Corporation, is committed to supporting undervalued species, buoying up coastal communities and stewarding ocean habitats. Fishpeople’s perfectly-cooked Ready, Set, Salmon! (TM), Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky, Wildly Delicious Seafood Kits, & Sustainable-Seafood Soups and Chowders are available in more than 5,000 natural and conventional grocers and club stores nationwide, as well as online. For more information about the brand, updates on new products and reel tips on how to #swap4seafood, visit fishpeopleseafood.com and follow the brand on Instagram (@fishpeople_seafood), Facebook (@fishpeopleseafood), and Twitter (@fishpeoples).
