At The Source Archives - Page 2 of 8

Quick Facts

USDA grade American Lamb
Sustainably raised by dedicated family ranchers
Hormone & antibiotic free

Since 1964, employee-owned Superior Farms American Lamb has been doing things differently. As the leading purveyor of farm-to-table American lamb, Superior Farms has made a commitment to protect the base of lamb consumers and ensure the industry’s continued growth through sustainability and innovation.

Not unlike Seattle Fish Company’s approach of introducing sustainable practices throughout our supply chain, Superior Farms believes that “sustainability starts in the pasture”, and extends to every facet of what they do. This includes respecting and caring for a nutrient-rich land, maintaining a sustainable footprint, and working with dedicated family farmers who raise their flocks with the highest level of care.

*A Superior Farms family with their flock.*

Superior Farms has farms all over the country, including Minnesota, California, and Iowa, where lambs are set to pasture across vast grasslands, feeding, and grazing on the natural vegetation as they have for centuries. This natural vegetation feeding actually enables the flock to boost the level of organic matter in the soil and lower carbon emissions (since tractor time spent maintaining the fields is greatly reduced).

Superior Farms’ facilities are outfitted with technology like solar panels and wind turbines which help to offset their plant’s energy use. This solar panel system is the just latest initiative in the company’s overall commitment to providing sustainably raised lamb. Superior Farms has also reduced its use of water, diesel fuel, and plastics as part of its dedication to the environment.

*Grilled Butterflied American Lamb Leg with Mint-Pistachio Pesto*.
*Recipe can be found on superiorfarms.com.*

In addition to being advanced with sustainability technology, Superior Farms is also an industry innovator. In February of 2018, they announced that they received USDA approval to start using the VSS2000 System camera for grading lamb, the first-ever digital camera to do so. This grading process was previously done completely visually by the ranchers, so the cameras save a ton of time and allow ranchers to make faster, more informed decisions about their flock.

Superior Farms and Seattle Fish Company share many commonalities and a shared vision for a more sustainable future. We are proud to offer Superior Farms to our customers as part of our Gourmet Provisions Portfolio.

Please contact your Seattle Fish Company Sales Representative for additional information and pricing. You can also visit the Superior Farms website to learn more.

Quick Fish Facts

Hawaiian Kanpachi is a native Hawaiian fish similar to yellowtail
Responsibly raised in the USA’s only open ocean mariculture facility
Yellow Rated/“Good Alternative” by Monterey Bay’s Seafood Watch
USA product available fresh 52 weeks/year
Raised without hormones or antibiotics

Deep in the pristine, blue waters off the coast of Kona, Hawaii, you’ll find thousands of beautiful Hawaiian Kanpachi, also known as Almaco jack, swimming in meticulously cared for submersed sea pens. It is here that the grow-out begins for the fish in Blue Ocean Mariculture’s fully integrated mariculture facility; the only open ocean aquaculture facility in the United States.
Founded in 2009, Blue Ocean’s mission was to pursue the farming of local Hawaiian marine finfish and set the foundation for domestically produced aquaculture. Marine aquaculture, or farming in the sea, is a promising option for producing a responsible protein to feed our growing population without compromising the health of the planet.

One of the most sophisticated production facilities for marine finfish in the United States, Blue Ocean operates a fully integrated facility, optimizing the life cycle of Hawaiian Kanpachi from hatch to harvest. This means that all of their production begins with fertilized eggs from local brood fish, so there is no capture pressure imposed on wild fish populations. When they’re ready, juvenile fish from Blue Ocean Mariculture’s hatchery facility are carefully transferred offshore to open ocean net pens in the lee of Mauna Kea and Hualalai, some of Hawaii’s grandest mountains.

*A look at Blue Ocean Mariculture’s open ocean sea farms from afar.*

These net pens are located in areas of high water exchange, where fish get the most oxygen, and feed events are closely observed to reduce the risk of waste and any benthic buildup. Water with a lot of movement like this is actually harder for the Blue Ocean team to work in, but healthier for the fish. The net’s anchoring systems are designed to minimize the benthic footprint of the farm and the net moorings are designed specifically to eliminate the risk of wildlife entanglement.
Blue Ocean clearly goes to great lengths to ensure that their facility disrupts ocean life as little as possible. Their farming practices have been reviewed and rated as Yellow/“Good Alternative” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. The fish are raised without antibiotics or hormones, and the feed is non-GMO. It is also available fresh 52 weeks a year, and has been able to remain continuously harvested even during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent hurricanes. This year-round, season-proof availability make Hawaiian Kanpachi a very reliable menu or seafood case item.

You have to wonder if part of the reason Kanpachi tastes as delicious as it does has anything to do with the way it is thoughtfully cared for, fed and harvested by Blue Ocean Mariculture — we think it certainly must.

The fish itself is beautiful – it has a dark, bluish-green upper body, lavender-tinted belly and elongated fins. They are harvested twice a week in Kona, and are available as whole fish or as hand cut fillets. Kanpachi has a fatty, firm texture and is white to pink-ish white in color. Commonly, it is prepared and served raw – and for good reason – it makes for an elegant crudo or amazing sashimi bite. But Hawaiian Kanpachi is also extremely versatile, lending itself to a wide variety of starter and entrée presentations when seared, grilled or cured.

Seattle Fish Company is proud to partner with Blue Ocean Mariculture to bring Hawaiian Kanpachi to the communities and customers we serve, and further the availability and consumption of responsible seafood.

Please contact your Seattle Fish Company Sales Representative to find out additional information or pricing on whole fish and fillets. You can also visit Blue Ocean Mariculture’s website here.

Seattle Fish Company is proud to offer hundreds of vendors and products in our portfolio in order to provide you with extensive choices when it comes to selecting high-quality, unique and delicious products for your kitchen, menu, or store. We want you to have the same opportunity we do to get to know those farmers, makers and producers on a deeper level – so we’re launching a new blog series to do just that! Introducing: Meet The Maker.

Each time we do a “Meet The Maker” blog post, we’ll profile one of our fantastic vendors and provide you with an inside look at who they are, why they do what they do, and what kind(s) of products they have to offer.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Verlasso Salmon, a sustainable, open-ocean salmon producer out of Chilean Patagonia.

Who is Verlasso?

Verlasso has been a leader in sustainable salmon farming practices for nearly a decade. They work closely with their local communities in Patagonia to reduce environmental impact with proven innovative sustainable farming techniques. Verlasso is pioneering new traditions in harmonious aquaculture and is a truly trusted source for sustainable quality salmon.

Seattle Fish Company and Verlasso share a belief that we are part of a unique space that will help supply a growing population with the most sustainable protein for generations to come. At its core, this mission is philanthropic and has the highest level of intent.

Verlasso is the first farmed salmon to ever receive a “Good Alternative” or “MBA Yellow” rating from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The “Good Alternative” rating comes from an extensive evaluation of how Verlasso’s farming practices have minimal impact on the environment,1:1 fish in fish out ratio and low pen densities.

Why Chilean Patagonia?

The pristine deep fjords, measuring in some places more than 75 meters deep make them the perfect place to farm Verlasso salmon. In some cases, these fjords are more than a three-hour boat ride from the nearest population. This minimizes any risk of industrial pollutants or PCB’s in the water that could potentially cause a negative effect on the farms.

Through strict farming practices, a no-kill policy on predators and extensive fallowing periods, we work each and every day to protect what is considered in the aquaculture industry to be one of the last and best remaining aquaculture locations in the world.

Want to learn more about Verlasso?

Check out Verlasso’s website here, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook. You can also find them at Seattle Fish Company food shows all year long, and at Aspen Food & Wine every summer.

Where is your farm located? Duxbury, MA

What do you produce on your farm? Mainly oysters, but we also grow clams. We are a fully-integrated farm so we grow our shellfish from seed to harvest.

When did you start Island Creek Oyster Farm? The first oyster was planted in 1995 after three years growing quahogs in Duxbury Bay.

What’s the history of the farm? Like so many success stories, Island Creek Oysters started over twenty years ago as a crazy idea. After years of trial and error (and some undeniably delicious oysters) we were able to produce consistent crops of some of the world’s best bivalves.
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The distribution arm of our business started in the back of a pickup truck. Island Creek has now grown into one of the most reputable shellfish companies in the US–selling some millions of oysters each year directly from our farm and other small operations to 600 of the country’s best chefs. We’re proud to own three of New England’s most acclaimed seafood restaurants and donate over $100,000 each year to aquaculture-based social enterprises in countries like Haiti and Tanzania. One thing about this wild ride hasn’t changed–our commitment to growing the best oysters in the world and having a damn good time doing it.

How long have you worked with Seattle Fish Co. and what’s the history? Seattle Fish Co. is the only seafood distributor we work with. Most of our products are shipped direct, but we have a great relationship with the team at Seattle Fish Co. and trust them to handle and distribute or products within their region. They’ve been a customer over a decade.

How is your farm focused on sustainability?
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Farm-raised shellfish are among the only protein sources known to man that actually represent a net benefit to the environment where they’re grown. They’re good for our coastal estuaries, good for the people that grow them, and good for the people who eat them. For the last eight years, we’ve committed to sharing this resource with the world through the efforts of Island Creek Oyster Foundation. We leverage our company’s brand to raise money that supports community-based aquaculture projects in developing nations like Haiti and Tanzania. We’ve donated nearly a half million dollars to Haitian fish farming project that now provides an income for over 500 families in two separate rural communities. Learn more at islandcreekfoundation.org.

Seattle Fish Co. has sourced Idaho farmed rainbow trout for decades. Outside of Twin Falls, Idaho lives two pristine trout farms that raise some the highest quality rainbow trout available. Our team headed up to Idaho the other week to visit both farms: Sea Pac of Idaho and Clear Springs. The experience was eye-opening for some of our team’s first-time visitors.
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The land and farms were absolutely breathtaking. The aquaculture operations source their water from a natural aquifer that is consistently 58 degrees year-round. The natural aquifer fills the trout raceways and is flushed through in under 20 minutes, allowing for continuous fresh water flow. The continuous spring water flow gives the Idaho trout their famous clean and mild flavor. Both farms are non-consumptive users of this pure water source, making them a truly sustainable operation and sustainable product. From hatchery to processing, everything is within 50 miles. This limits their carbon footprint and creates less stress on the fish during transport.

Our recent visit to these farms reminded us of the importance of partnership. These trout farmers are passionate about their fish and it shows. They are dedicated to the sustainability of their operations and appreciate distributing through like-minded partners. “Sea Pac of Idaho and Seattle Fish Co. have a long lasting relationship. We value our partnership with SFC and their ability to distribute our trout throughout Colorado and into the resort communities.
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Our relationship stems all the way back to the ‘days of Mose Iacino’, the founder of Seattle Fish Co.,” says Ken Ashley, President of Sea Pac of Idaho.

During our peak season, Seattle Fish Co. receives and distributes over 7,000 pounds per week of fresh, never frozen, Idaho trout. We receive shipments twice a week from temperature controlled trucks direct from the farms. Our chefs and markets have the option of receiving Idaho trout in a number of forms: whole, dressed, butterflied, and filleted. Reach out to your Seattle Fish Co. rep to receive a sample of this clean, mild, Idaho trout.

Category Archives: At The Source

Vendor Spotlight: Superior Farms American Lamb, Where Sustainability Starts In The Pasture

Say “Aloha” To Blue Ocean Mariculture’s Hawaiian Kanpachi

Meet The Maker: Verlasso Salmon

Meet Our Farmers: Skip Bennet of Island Creek Oyster Farm

At the source: Idaho Trout Farms