BOSTON - Kings Supermarkets, Parsippany, N.J., announced at the International Boston Seafood Show here at the Boston Convention Center that it is working with the Midcoast Fisherman's Association, Port Clyde, Maine, to buy seafood from the cooperative.
The benefits of the partnership, according to Tony Ruccio, director, seafood sales and merchandising, Kings, include a very short supply chain of two to three days, full traceability and transparency, product quality and freshness, differentiation, further development of underutilized species, building customer confidence, and creating value, excitement and sales. The association is committed to bringing sustainable seafood to its buyers and is currently waiting for government clearance on its HACCP processing facility.
Ruccio told SN that he hopes the fish will be in stores by early July, and shrimp, possibly sooner. “This is a work in progress and we at Kings are very excited about selling the spectacular fish out of Port Clyde soon,” Ruccio said at the “From Port to Point of Sale” session at the show.
Kings plans to do a number of things to promote the partnership, including telling the Port Clyde story in the weekly circular during launch week and the weeks following; making merchandising personal by showing pictures of the port, boats and fisherman, along with name; romancing the fact that although they will never know for sure what the catch of the day will be, it will still be of highest quality and sustainable; and handouts for consumers telling about each species, in addition to recipes.
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