Arby’s and grocery chain H-E-B were added to the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) 2024 Partnership Program at the Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A., on 28 September.
The GAPP Partnership Program supports retail and foodservice companies in the U.S. and globally in their product promotion efforts, matching the partner’s marketing investment dollar for dollar.
Arby’s will use its GAPP matching funds to expand the promotion of its crispy fish sandwich made with Alaska pollock at its restaurants across North America. H-E-B will conduct a year-long promotion for its line of “Great Catch” Alaska pollock surimi seafood and fillets at its stores throughout Texas.
GAPP also named three new international partners that will receive funding from the program, which . Nissui will promote its Spicy Wild Alaska Pollock Roe products in Japan’s Costco stores, and Trident Japan will use the funding on its Kanikama surimi-based seafood products at Costco.
And GAPP awarded its second partnership in South America to Antillana, a seafood processor and distributor in Colombia, to promote its line of surimi and fillet-based Alaska pollock products in Colombian retail and foodservice channels.
Trident Seafoods, Trans-Ocean, Gorton’s, King and Prince, and High Liner Foods will also receive program funding to continue their Alaska pollock marketing programs.
GAPP awarded USD 1.5 million (EUR 1.4 million) total in Partnership Program matching funds for the year.
“Between the work GAPP does with its ‘always-on influencer marketing program’ and this significant Partnership Program, we are making the brand of wild Alaska pollock stronger, more enduring and turning our fish into our household name,” GAPP Chair Bob Desautel said in a press release. "By partnering with companies like our new partners that believe in wild Alaska pollock as much as we do, GAPP is able to leverage our contributions with that of our partners and spread the word about the amazing taste, provenance, and sustainability attributes of our super fish.”
Trident Seafoods will expand sales in other Oak View Group entertainment venues across North America after finding success with Alaska pollock and other products at Climate Pledge Arena.
Trans-Ocean received funding to continue a series of digital campaigns promoting its Crab Classic line of products at retail. Gorton’s, fresh off the launch of its Air Fried Fillets, will promote one existing product and one new product at Sam’s Clubs in the fall of next year, GAPP said.
King and Prince will promote its craft beer-battered Alaska pollock fillets with a focus on casual dining and tavern segments, while High Liner Foods will promote four Alaska pollock products at college and university foodservice venues.
Angulas Aguinaga will conduct its third partnership program as it continues to build Spanish consumers’ awareness and appreciation for the quality of its Krissia brand surimi seafood, made with Alaska pollock.
At the meeting, executives with current partner companies shared how the Partnership Program has benefited their companies and consumers.
“The partnership program has been great to Trans-Ocean, since GAPP has come together and really promoted wild Alaska pollock in a big way,” Trans-Ocean Vice President of Sales and Marketing Lou Shaheen said.
“It’s a real opportunity for us as an industry as people age they eat more seafood,” Gorton’s Vice President of Marketing Jake Holbrook said. “We are really focused on marketing on the channels where those younger people are so they grow with seafood. The Partnership Program has helped us do that, do more, every year.”
In April 2023, the program’s director, Ron Rogness, told SeafoodSource GAPP's goal was to expand the partnership program.
“It's definitely an objective to continue to get the word out on the partnership program and to expand into areas where maybe wild Alaska pollock hasn't had a strong presence historically. Colleges and hospital foodservice, to me, represent a great opportunity,” he said. “And there will be an increased focus on international expansion. One of our objectives this year is to take a long-term look at what the appropriate balance of international and domestic programs will be. GAPP did a 2040 study that identified high-priority markets overseas that we’ll incorporate that into our work, and we’ll be identifying high quality potential foreign partners. And then I’ll just keep doing work to elevate the species to the extent that we can in new and higher-value markets. We love our current partners and we very much appreciate them, but we do want to expand the program into new channels.”
Image courtesy of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers
