AFDF announced the winners of the Alaska Symphony of Seafood during the Awards Ceremony on Thursday, February 24ᵗʰ, in Juneau, where contestants, industry representatives, the Alaska Legislature, media and other special guests gathered to celebrate and toast the winners. This event was co-hosted by United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) and had record-setting attendance.
Since 1994, AFDF has organized the “Symphony”, a competition for new commercial-ready, value-added products made from Alaska seafood. The Symphony is an exciting platform that encourages companies to invest in product development and promote those new products, which helps diversify markets, utilize more the of the resource and create long-term value. Product development is critically important to the entire industry and the fishing communities that depend on it. Innovative new products position the industry to remain competitive and relevant to consumers. Previous winners and entrants have leveraged the Symphony platform and continue to see increased sales and market exposure of their products.
The full slate of awards was announced on Thursday, including 1ˢᵗ, 2ⁿᵈ and 3ʳᵈ place in each of the following categories: Retail, Foodservice, and Beyond the Plate. Additionally, special awards for Whitefish Choice, Salmon Choice, Bristol Bay Choice, Seattle People’s Choice and Juneau People’s Choice were announced, as well as the coveted Grand Prize for the product with the higher scores overall. Below are all of the award-winning products:
GRAND PRIZE
Wild Caught Alaska Salmon with Ribbon Kelp Chimichurri, by Peter Pan Seafood
RETAIL
1ˢᵗ Place - Wild Caught Alaska Salmon with Ribbon Kelp Chimichurri, byPeter Pan Seafood
2ⁿᵈ Place - Kelp Chili Crisp, by Barnacle Foods
3ʳᵈ Place (tie) – CBD Kelp Brownies, by Kelptastic Farms
3ʳᵈ Place (tie) - Wild Salmon Chowder, by Thunder’s Catch
FOODSERVICE:
1ˢᵗ Place – Ocean Beauty Grill House Burger, by Ocean Beauty Seafoods
2ⁿᵈ Place - Wild Alaska Cod Burgers, by Alaskan Leader Seafoods
3ʳᵈ Place - Takoyaki Style Wild Alaska Pollock Bites, by Trident Seafoods
BEYOND THE PLATE:
1ˢᵗ Place - Pure Catch Wild Alaska Omega-3 Triple Strength, by Trident Seafoods
2ⁿᵈ Place - Alaska Naturals 100% Wild-Caught Alaska Pollock Jerky Dog Treats, by Trident Seafoods
WHITE FISH CHOICE
Wild Caught Crispy Beer Battered Cod, by Alaskan Leader Seafoods
SALMON CHOICE
Wild Caught Alaska Salmon with Ribbon Kelp Chimichurri, by Peter Pan Seafood
BRISTOL BAY CHOICE
Wild Salmon Chowder, by Thunder’s Catch
SEATTLE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Kelp Chili Crisp, by Barnacle Foods
JUNEAU PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Wild Salmon Chowder, by Thunder’s Catch
Mike De Caro of Peter Pan Seafood called it “Beginner’s Luck” when asked how he developed their triple-winning new product, Wild Caught Alaska Salmon with Ribbon Kelp Chimichurri. He elaborated, “The is Peter Pan Seafood’s first time at developing value-added products. One key – stick to only a few natural ingredients.” De Caro took the stage to accept an award presented by Senator Lisa Murkowski, celebrating their winning sockeye salmon and ribbon kelp combo. This also marks the first time that a major Alaska salmon processing company has integrated Alaska kelp into a new product.
The Wild Salmon Chowder by Thunder's Catch also won multiple awards. Made by two Bristol Bay fishermen, Kara Berlin and Taran White, the chowder is preservative-free, shelf-stable and made with Bristol Bay sockeye and “real whole foods and ingredients one could find in their own kitchen,” said Berlin. The eye-catching packaging and appealing smell and taste won Thunder’s Catch the Bristol Bay Choice and Juneau People’s Choice. “We’re very grateful, and look forward to carrying this momentum to connect with more retailers and direct consumers,” said White. “We’re catching and creating good, wild food for good, wild people,” said Berlin.
The winner of the Foodservice category, Ocean Beauty Gill House Burger, has a surprisingly meaty flavor for a burger made with wild Alaska salmon. These burgers also include non-GMO, nutrient-rich vegetable protein, and are ready to grill, fry or cook in the oven. These burgers are likely to also be a winner for family dinners, sports events and summer cook-outs!
Additional winners from Left to Right: Wild Caught Crispy Beer Battered Cod, by Alaskan Leader Seafoods; Kelp Chili Crisp, by Barnacle Foods; Pure Catch Wild Alaska Omega-3 Triple Strength, by Trident Seafoods.
The Winnings
The first-place winners of each category and the Grand Prize winner receive booth space at the distinguished Seafood Expo North America (SENA) in March, airfare to and from the show provided by our sponsor, Alaska Air Cargo, entry into the SENA new products contest, the Seafood Excellence Awards, as well as other promotional benefits. New this year, all entrants who are interested will also receive initial consulting services with the AFDF Startup Accelerator (formerly the Alaska Ocean Cluster), which could also lead to incorporation into their portfolio of startups. The AFDF Startup Accelerator can help support commercial growth in new companies.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Symphony is 100% funded by its sponsors each year. AFDF would like to recognize and thank our sponsors from this year. Major sponsors include Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Alaska Air Cargo, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Community Development Association, American Seafoods, At-Sea Processors Association, Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, City of Unalaska, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, Global Seafood Alliance, Kwik’Pak Fisheries, Marel Seattle, Marine Stewardship Council, Matson, Northwest Fisheries Association, Pacific Seafood Processors Association, Trident Seafoods, UniSea, and the United Fishermen of Alaska. See here for a complete list of sponsors from last year. Sponsorships are available year-round for this event. For more information about the Symphony, visit here.
