by Nick Heitman, Meat, Seafood, Beer, Wine & Spirits Category Manager
In March, I had the opportunity to travel to Boston with one of the Co-op’s meat and seafood suppliers to attend the Seafood Expo North America. This trade show is the largest of its kind in North America, and it features vendors and suppliers from all over the world. My main goal during the expo was to search for a farmed salmon supplier for the three retail sites that supports ethical farming practices, strong traceability, and high quality. I also have not been satisfied with the frequent price fluctuations from the farmed salmon that we purchase from the Faroe Islands region. After meeting with suppliers from Chile and Norway, I met with the team from Skuna Bay. This supplier met all the criteria we were looking for, and we have been extremely pleased with the partnership thus far.
Based on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Skuna Bay has been in operation since 2011. The area of the Nootka Sound where the farm is located is fed by the Gold River, which provides excellent water conditions that are conducive to salmon-farming. Each farm site in the Nootka Sound is allowed to rest, or “fallow” after harvest so that the environment is allowed to regenerate prior to re-stocking. The pens that the salmon live in are very low density, meaning that the farmers sacrifice better yields to ensure that they aren’t having a negative impact on the environment. Skuna Bay also partners with Terra Pass to purchase carbon offsets in an effort to mitigate their already low carbon footprint.
Another unique differentiator that Skuna Bay offers is their meticulous and thorough selection, processing, and packaging process. The salmon that we receive at the stores on each delivery has been hand-picked and hand-labeled by their team. Each side of salmon is vacuum-sealed and packed in tamper proof boxes. We are able to see exactly when the fish was harvested and packed, which allows us to confidently inform customers on product freshness and quality. Most farm salmon is handled by multiple parties, from the farm, to the processor, and then to the distributor. Skuna Bay’s program allows us to receive product exactly as it looks leaving the processor.
We have found the flavor, texture, and versatility of this salmon to be exceptional. My first time tasting it was raw in a poke bowl. It has just enough fat and firmness that it works great for sushi or poke, and also baked or grilled. The salmon comes scaled and trimmed of excess belly fat. It is mild in flavor compared to many other farmed Atlantic salmon. For these reasons, Skuna Bay has been selected by the James Beard Foundation as their house salmon, and can be found on the menu in many of the top restaurants across the country.
The seafood teams at each store are excited to be partnering with Skuna Bay, and early feedback from customers has been very positive. Keep an eye on our upcoming sales flyers, as we will be frequently putting this item on both Owner Deals and Fresh Deals! I hope you are able to try some of this exceptional product soon!
