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GOURMET NEWS DECEMBER 2017 www.gourmetnews.com SUPPLIER NEWS 1 4 Blue North Fisheries Town & Country Markets Launch Humane Harvest Pacific Cod at Retail Blue North Fisheries and Town & Country Markets have introduced the first opportu- nity for consumers to buy Humane Harvest line-caught Pacific cod. Cod caught aboard the innovative Blue North fishing vessel are stunned imme- diately upon harvest, mini- mizing stress and producing a healthier and tastier fish. The vessel is also the first in the Bering Sea to use Moon Pool technology, har- vesting fish from inside the vessel rather than the weather deck, eliminating the crew's expo- sure to dangerous sea conditions. "This seems a natural next step in our commitment to offer sustainable seafood and conscious food choices to our shop- pers," said Susan Allen, shareholder and Director of Brand Development for Town & Country Markets. "We are excited to offer this Humane Harvest cod to our cus- tomers, and are honored to be the first retailer to do so." Once cod is i n d i v i d u a l l y caught through the Moon Pool using hook and line, a stunning table immobi- lizes the fish, putting the cen- tral nervous system to sleep prior to process- ing so it feels no stress or pain. The fish is then filleted and frozen at sea for optimal freshness. "We believe that all sentient beings, in- cluding fish, deserve to be treated as hu- manely as possible," said Michael Burns, co-Founder and Chairman of Blue North. "When we looked at potential partners to introduce this new product to consumers, we immediately thought of Town & Coun- try Markets. My family and I have shopped for more than 30 years at our local Bain- bridge Island Town & Country store." The Blue North Humane Harvest Initia- tive was launched in 2015 and has been available on a limited basis to restaurant groups since then. This announcement with Town & Country Markets represents the first time the company has been able to provide a filleted product to retailers for di- rect-to-consumer sale. Blue North's Humane Harvest Pacific cod is also higher quality than other Pacific cod because the fish experience reduced stress. In a blind study done at the School of Food Sciences at Washington State University, Humane Harvest fish were proven to have higher levels of nutrients and proteins, were flakier and had improved muscle tex- ture. "Seafood is one of the most important natural vectors for high nutritional value protein and omega-3s for humans," Dr. Mahmoudreza Ovissipour wrote in his WSU report published in 2015. "Since fish can feel pain and stress, these factors can easily influence their quality, nutri- tional value, shelf life and consumption safety." Because the fish is immediately frozen at sea, it retains its freshness longer, making its superior quality even more noticeable for consumers. Further, Pacific cod is rec- ognized by leading nonprofit watchdog or- ganizations as a sustainable seafood product, and Alaska-caught cod is noted as a "Best Choice" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch List. "We like to say that doing the right thing tastes better," added Burns. "In the case of Humane Harvest line-caught pacific cod, it's the most responsible, healthy, and hu- mane choice to make and for us, nothing tastes better." GN Korean Premium Seafood Brand, K FISH, Introduced to U.S. Market The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea introduced K·FISH, Ko- rean fishery exports national brand, to the global market on November 9 in Los Ange- les, California. In an effort to promote the excellent quality of products from the Korean sea, the Korean ministry developed K·FISH with the intention of making it a glob- ally competitive premium seafood brand. K·FISH is the first government- certified fishery exports national brand of premium marine products selected on strict management regulations, meticulous quality control, and sys- temic evaluation standards. At present, 11 species are available, including fresh flatfish, abalone (fresh and processed), Gim/ laver (dry and seasoned), sea cu- cumber (dry), oyster (frozen), red snow crab, fish cake (steamed, grilled, fried and fish meat sausage), squid (sea- soned), conger (fillet), tuna (canned and pouched) and Miyok/sea mustard (dry). The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to expand the export of K·FISH grad- ually, starting with the U.S., a key fishery trade partner, then to Asian countries in- cluding China and finally moving on to Eu- rope, South America, and the Middle East in 2018. The U.S. launch event marks the intro- duction of K·FISH to the global market, and is expected to offer a significant oppor- tunity for promoting the excellent quality of seafood from the Republic of Korea. Los Angeles was selected as the forum for the launch in recognition of the value of the U.S. as a leading trade partner. The launch event included presentations and a cooking demonstration by Chef Kerry Heffernan, a renowned seafood expert who demon- strated special Korean-inspired recipes using fresh K·FISH products, followed by tasting. The K·FISH trademark is registered as of September, in 36 countries including the U.S., EU, Japan, and China. The trademark application process is currently in review in 16 countries including Russia and Viet- nam. The K·FISH logo was created by mod- ifying the Taegeuk symbol that stands for Korea, in which the three primary colors represent the clean ocean (blue), good tex- ture (yellow) and quality control (red), re- spectively. GN Chocolate Continued from PAGE 12 pouches of individually wrapped Bites con- tain a bit less than 6 ounces and will retail for $7.99. Chocolove is also introducing a ranged of unwrapped chocolate-covered snack bites that are built around the com- pany's best-selling flavors. Dark Chocolate Salted Almonds, Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee and Dark Chocolate Pretzels will be offered in a 4.5-ounce pouch to retail for $4.99. Chocolove's chocolate is imported from Belgium and crafted into its products in Boulder, Colorado. Chocolove participates in or funds a num- ber of programs that attest to the company's commitments to sustainability and social justice throughout its supply chain from farm to consumer, includ- ing the workers in its Colorado facility. Endangered Species Choco- late has just added its Polar Bear bar, which is dark chocolate with caramel and spiced apples, as well as Chocolate Bites of its top three sellers, the Panther, Owl and Bald Eagle. Panther Bites are a low sugar option, with two pieces com- ing in at 2 grams of sugar. Owl Bites are sea salt and almonds in dark chocolate, and Bald Eagle Bites are caramel and sea salt in dark choco- late. The Bites are sold in 4.2-ounce packages that contain 10 to 13 pieces and retail for $4.99. Bars re- tail for $2.99 for 3 ounces. NibMor's newest offerings are Dark Chocolate Bites with Tart Cherries and Dark Chocolate Bites with Maine Blue- berries. These bites are made with 52 per- cent cocoa, and they're gluten free, certified vegan and Non-GMO Project Verified. The 6-piece serving comes in at 240 calories, so this is an indulgent treat, but the 19 grams of sugar are less than the sugar content of competing fruit and chocolate bites prod- ucts, says NibMor Inc. CEO Ralph Chau- vin. The 5.4-ounce stand-up pouches retail for $4.99. GN

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