Seattle-based Trident Seafoods is planning to launch a new Alaska pollock-based product range aimed at competing with the proliferation of meat-based alternatives such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.

The line, which will be sold under the new brand, "Swap," will include seasoned taco meat, burger patties, breakfast patties, fresh gnocchi and fresh fettuccine all made with Alaska pollock, but marketed as not tasting or smelling "like fish."

Repsol Norway. Repsol/Licences/Norway. Photo: Upstream

Trident quietly launched a social media presence for the brand on Facebook at the end of February. The company was also supposed to launch the alternative line at the The Natural Products Expo West at the beginning of March.

That show was postponed due to coronavirus concerns, however, and has not been rescheduled, according to its organizers.

Brand strategy group Retail Voodoo helped launch the Swap brand, the company said. The group also helped relaunch meatless product brand Loma, which produces a canned and pouched "fishless tuna" product.

Trident has invested heavily in new product development and branding for Alaska pollock products in recent years, including the launch of Alaska pollock protein noodles and whitefish burgers, among other concepts.

The move has been part of the group's drive to move away from Alaska pollock pinbone-out (PBO) fillet block production, which has made US producers overly dependent on European markets.

The new product lines have been targeted primarily at the US domestic market.

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