Enter the Alaska Symphony of Seafood

Promoting Development of Value-Added Products Made from Alaska Seafood

Since 1994, the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation has conducted the Alaska Symphony of Seafood celebrating creative products made from Alaska seafood. The purpose of the event is to encourage and promote the development of value-added products made from fisheries resources harvested from the pristine waters of Alaska. This year, we are excited to feature Salmon and Whitefish categories in addition to Retail, Food Service, Beyond the Plate and Around the Plate (new!) categories. Product entries can enter into all qualified categories and are eligible for multiple awards.

Product Categories

Your product must fit into one of the following contest categories:

• Food Service

  Best overall product for Food Service Eligibility: All Alaska seafood species sold as food service products are eligible

• Retail

  Best overall product for Retail Eligibility: All Alaska seafood species sold as retail products are eligible

• Beyond the Plate

  Best value-added product made for use outside of human consumption. Must be manufactured from seafood waste, or be byproducts of the primary processing.
• Around the Plate - New for 2024! 
  • This new category is for value-added products such as condiments, appetizers, snacks or desserts.  
    

Product entries can enter into all qualified categories and are eligible for multiple awards (i.e. Retail and Salmon, or Beyond the Plate and Whitefish). If you would like to enter one product in multiple categories, each category will require an entry fee.

We will also be awarding eight special awards this year:

• Seattle People's Choice

  Awarded by ballot voting at Seattle event

• Juneau People's Choice

  Awarded by ballot voting at Juneau event

• Whitefish

  Best overall Alaska whitefish product
  Eligibility: cod, pollock, halibut, flounder, rockfish

• Salmon

  Best overall Alaska salmon product
  Eligibility: all Alaska salmon species (Pink, Sockeye, Keta, King, Coho)

• Grand Prize

  Awarded to any category products with best overall score from judges

• Bristol Bay Choice

  Awarded by BBRSDA to the best Sockeye salmon product. Includes promotional and marketing support from BBRSDA team, including a feature on website and booth space at both PME and SENA at the BBRSDA booth.
• Best Grab & Go - New for 2024! 
  • Awarded by judges based on overall convenience at the Seattle event 
    
• Best Packaging -- New for 2024!
  • Awarded by judges based on overall packaging scores at the Seattle event

Why Enter?

First place winners from each product category, including the Grand Prize winner and Bristol Bay Choice awardee, will receive free booth space at the Seafood Expo North America in Boston in March, 2024. Airfare for one company representative to attend the show will be provided by Alaska Air Cargo and our new sponsor, Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA). All first place products will be photographed by a professional photographer, featured on the Symphony website, and made available for marketing and sales efforts. Winners will also have the use of a winner’s sticker that can be featured on the winning product’s packaging and used for other marketing efforts. The media opportunities associated with the Alaska Symphony of Seafood are endless. Many articles and editorials will be written featuring the event and winners. It is a great promotional boost for any new product.

Winners of all categories get:

• Free booth space at the Seafood Expo North America in Boston in March, 2024
• Airfare for one company representative to attend the show will be provided by Alaska Air Cargo and our new sponsor, Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA)
• Get their product photographed by a professional photographer
• Be featured on the Symphony website, and made available for marketing and sales efforts
• Use of a winner’s sticker that can be featured on the winning product’s packaging and used for other marketing efforts

Who Can Participate?

Any company, domestic or foreign, that is commercially producing value-added products and by-products made from Alaska seafood. Products must have been produced within the last two years, be market ready, and fit into one of the contest categories listed below. A product that has been submitted to the Alaska Symphony of Seafood in the last two years may re-enter as long as the product did not take first, second, third place, the Grand Prize, or the People’s Choice Award.

How to Enter

1. Make sure your product qualifies.
2. Select the appropriate product category.
3. Fill out the entry form completely. Submit one entry form per product.
4. Include a $250, non-refundable entry fee for each product submitted.
5. Follow the contest entry checklist provided. Any incomplete entries will be disqualified.
6. Send photos (digital or hard copies) of your product and any handouts or spec sheets you have available with your application. The completed form and entry fee due date is October 7, 2023.  Sorry, late entries will not be accepted.  

Judging

Each product entered in the Alaska Symphony of Seafood contest will be evaluated individually by a panel of expert judges during a private judging session on November, 7, 2023 in Seattle. Each product will be prepared and displayed by professional staff. Each product will be judged on criteria such as its packaging/presentation; overall eating experience that includes aroma, flavor, and texture; perceived value for its niche in the market; and its potential for commercial success. Products will be judged with respect to the market category in which it is entered. Results will be tabulated and held in confidence by a third party for announcement at the Awards Ceremony in Juneau. First, second, and third place winners will be selected from each contest category. The product receiving the highest overall score will be awarded the Grand Prize, and at each event, attendees taste, evaluate and vote for the “People’s Choice” award. 

The Bristol Bay Choice Award (sponsored by BBRSDA) will be awarded to the best Sockeye salmon product.