JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Trident Seafoods has sent a team with Alaska Gov. Bill Walker’s trade mission to China to develop a new strategy for getting its products in Chinese stores and markets.
The company has been selling Alaska-born seafood in China for 20 years. But Chinese consumers probably don’t know their seafood has been coming from Alaska because the company sells the seafood primarily as a commodity, Alaska’s Energy Desk reported Tuesday.
Trident wants to reach those people directly to let them know that they’re eating wild seafood from Alaska and to tell them where they can go to buy it again.
“Per capita consumption of seafood in China is mind-boggling. I mean you’re talking, by some estimates, 40 kilograms (88 pounds) per person, per year,” said Jeff Welbourn, senior director of the Chinese business office for Trident Seafoods.
Welbourn said a lot of Alaska pollock is already being consumed in China, but Chinese citizens likely don’t realize it’s wild and from Alaska.
“Creating comfort and demand for a species that doesn’t currently resonate with consumers is a huge challenge,” Welbourn said. “So wild Alaska pollock is something that we have worked really hard to make sure is differentiated as a very transparent, sustainable and, you know, prestige fishery.”
Part of the new strategy involves the digital platform JD.com, an e-commerce company from which customers can order something wild from an Alaska seafood company online and get it shipped to them. Grocery stores can order the seafood, too, and Trident wants to expand that reach. It already has some of its seafood listed on this site, Alaska’s Energy Desk reported.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.