Thank you to Denver’s Channel 9 News and CO + Company Team for coming to Seattle Fish Co. this past Monday for a “Fishmonger of the Day” experience! Check out the video below to see Dani and Derek discuss the health benefits of seafood, responsible sourcing, and Seattle Fish Co.’s history. They also shuck oysters and filet a fish live!
Seattle Fish Company & Gourmet Provisions is excited to announce that Chris Franklin has been hired as the company’s new Director of Operations! Chris joined the Seattle Fish team in August 2022, working to ensure that the logistics of our operations run as smooth and efficiently as possible.
Chris was born and raised in Pheonix, Arizona and went to school in upstate New York, where he met his wife. They enjoy moving around the US and have spent time living in Atlanta, Washington DC, Chicago, Michigan and Austin, but have now found their home in Denver. Chris has three kids and two dogs, and his family is involved with the Ho-Bo Boxer rescue.
In Chris’s words, his career has always been built around food and people. He spent 15 years with Trader Joe’s followed by a few startup companies. He’s excited to work with Seattle Fish Co., because it “feels like a perfect blend of [being] an established company with the opportunity to be creative and scrappy like a startup.”
In his role as Director of Operations, Chris works closely with the managers and supervisors in many departments, including transportation, production, receiving, quality assurance, food safety and facilities. His team handles all of the details and logistics from the moment that product enters our doors until they get delivered to our customer’s doors.
In his first few months in the role, Chris has been leading a project to set up our warehouse in a more organized and efficient way. “I am confident it will make it easier for the team to do their jobs,” says Chris, “Which means improved accuracy and quality for our customers. I’m also very passionate about training and development, and that will be a big focus of my future efforts”.
What were you the most excited about joining the Seattle Fish team?
I was a customer years ago and always respected Seattle Fish’s commitment to the customer and to quality, so when the opportunity arose, I was certainly intrigued. But ultimately it was the chance to come around and meet the team that solidified my desire to transition to the seafood industry. There are such great people here, and I’m excited about our future growth.
What are your favorite ways to unwind outside of work?
I generally love anything outside, so I wish I had moved to Colorado sooner! I love hiking, traveling, camping, and running (although I’ve got to get that going again!). I also have three kids and absolutely love watching them play sports and occasionally having the chance to coach them. I love coaching youth sports!
What’s your favorite seafood? How do you like to prepare it?
I’m partial to lobster, even though to be honest I don’t eat it as much as I’d like to. I think it’s the emotional connection. My wife and I got married in Kennebunkport, Maine, and needless to say lobster in every form was a key part of our overall wedding experience. I’ll always feel a connection to the coastal fishing villages of Maine, and lobster boats specifically.
This month our Fun Fish is Fresh Rock Shrimp, sourced from Beacon Fisheries!
These fresh rock shrimp are wild caught off the coast of Florida, unloaded, and processed in Fernandina Beach, Florida. The Fernandina location is one of the only plants in the United States to process and peel rock shrimp.
Rock shrimp have a sweet, slightly briny flavor, tasting like a cross between a shrimp and lobster. They can be grilled, baked, fried, marinated, and steamed. Cooking rock shrimp is similar to cooking other types of shrimp, although they tend to cook faster. Be sure to keep an eye on them to prevent them from getting too tough!
This month we partnered with Chef Shelby LeBleu of Elevation Foodservice Reps to prepare a Rock Shrimp Taco recipe. Chef Peter Rauen of Seattle Fish also prepared a delicious Rock Shrimp Mac & Cheese recipe, which is the perfect way to incorporate seafood into a traditional holiday side dish!
Ingredients:
For the Shrimp:
Shrimp Taco Toppings:
Shrimp Taco Sauce Ingredients:
This month our featured “Fun Fish” is Hybrid Striped Bass sourced from Colorado Catch in San Luis Valley, Colorado! This fish is available as a whole fish 1.8#+ as code 972C on our Seattle Fish app.
Hybrid Striped Bass is a cross between a male freshwater bass and a female striped bass. When the two are combined, a white meaty flesh with firm texture and delectable flavor is produced. The Colorado Hybrid Striped Bass is very versatile because of its clean taste and firm, but flaky texture. This fish can be consumed raw, sashimi-style, or made into ceviche. For cooking preparations, it lends well to pan-searing with the skin on, grilling whole, poaching and baking.
Colorado Catch co-owner Tyler Fauchette says the company produces 350,000 pounds of the bass each year, and nearly half of that stays local, being consumed within the state of Colorado. Colorado Catch’s unique geothermal resources and circular tank system have enabled them to increase growth rates, eliminate off-flavors and sustain yields for year-round production.
If you’d like more information about Hybrid Striped Bass, other Colorado Catch products, or the Fun Fish program, reach out to your SFC rep today!
This month we partnered with Chef Cassie Borshoff, Corporate Chef at Elevation Foodservice Reps, who created an incredible recipe for Seared Striped Bass with Khao Soi and Squash. Elevation’s state-of-the-art Colorado test kitchen located in Denver features a little bit of everything for you and your foodservice establishment. Consider it a chef’s playground!
Khao Soi Broth:
Pickled Squash:
Roasted Squash:
Garnish: Cilantro, lime, thai basil
DENVER, CO, NOVEMBER 1, 2022 –– Founders’ Armand Agra acquires Colorado-family owned Lombardi Brothers Meats as a close sister company of Seattle Fish Company.
Lombardi Brothers Meats is a family-owned specialty meat processor and distributor based in Denver, Colorado. Lombardi Brothers Meats has served the Rocky Mountain region since 1947, distributing the finest cuts of top-quality Beef, Pork, Lamb, and other proteins to tables throughout the Colorado front range and local mountain communities. The company also operates The Ranch, a retail meat shop established in 2020. The company today is led by owners Victoria and Vance Philips, who will work in partnership with Seattle Fish Company to continue providing exceptional service to its customers in Colorado. Seattle Fish Company is excited to partner with the team at Lombardi Brothers Meats to support the company in its long-term growth and development.
Under this new ownership, Lombardi will continue to operate as an independent brand but will now partner with Seattle Fish Company to grow customer relationships, invest in the business, and promote high quality Lombardi brand meats throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountains. This partnership gives Lombardi access to increased geography, additional customers, more opportunity to grow our brand, and new ways to offer our products to new markets.
“Armand Agra’s investment in Lombardi Brothers Meats will allow us to expand our offerings, grow our influence in sustainability and industry leadership across a larger platform and lead a positive impact on a greater range of proteins,” shares Seattle Fish Co. President and CEO, Derek Figueroa. “We’re proud to say that our mission is to sustainably feed people, and now we can do so from the land and sea.”
Since 2015, Seattle Fish Co. has expanded their Gourmet Provisions portfolio to include terrestrial proteins such as chicken and game meats, gourmet sauces, sausages/deli meats, beverages and much more. Their proven success beyond fresh and frozen seafood makes them uniquely poised to partner with Lombardi Brothers Meats, known for its generous marbling and legendary flavor that has become a symbol for consistent quality across Colorado.
“Since 1947, Lombardi Brothers Meats has built strong partnerships based on exceptional customer service, top quality product, and pride in our work,” says Lombardi owner Victoria Philips. “The investment by Armand Agra, a third-generation family-owned business with deep experience in meat, preserves the rich legacy of Lombardi Brothers Meats while providing the resources, collaboration, and scale to grow our brand.”
Under the wing of Armand Agra and Seattle Fish Co., Lombardi Brothers Meats will not only have opportunities for brandwide growth, but access to increased geography, new markets, and additional customers to continue their four generations of family-owned legacy.
About Seattle Fish Co.
Seattle Fish Company is a third-generation family-owned company and Colorado-based business, proudly serving the Rocky Mountain region and surrounding states for over a century. Recognized for playing a major role in making fresh seafood available in the Rocky Mountain region, Seattle Fish Company sources and distributes sustainable seafood and gourmet provisions daily from around the world, providing products of the highest quality to over 1,400 restaurants and retailers. Seattle Fish Co. is dedicated to fostering sustainable fishing practices, including supporting local aquaculture farms, as well as fishery improvement projects around the world, ensuring that seafood as a healthful protein is available for all, for generations to come. For more information, please visit Seattle Fish Company’s website at www.seattlefish.com
About Lombardi Brothers Meats
Lombardi Brothers Meats has served the Rocky Mountain region since 1947, distributing the finest cuts of high-quality Beef, Pork, Lamb, and other proteins to tables throughout the Colorado front range and local mountain communities. The company also operates The Ranch, a retail meat shop established in 2020. The company today is led by owners Victoria and Vance Philips, who will work in partnership with Armand Agra and Seattle Fish Company to continue providing exceptional service to its customers in Colorado. For more information, please visit The Lombardi Brothers Meats website at www.lombardibrothersmeats.com.
About Founders’ Armand Agra
Founders Group of Food Companies is a family-owned company funded by the Senft and Harris families since 2014 which invests its own capital and applies operating know-how, to build a group of closely related, thriving food businesses and exceptional partnerships we can all be proud of. Tricor Pacific Capital is the family office of the Senft family. Saville House Holdings is the family company of Richard & Ailsa Harris. Flocchini Family Holdings is the Flocchini family office led by Armando & Chris Flocchini.