Seafood processing startup OneForNeptune saw an "immediate surge" from customers when its new flavors of Alaska pollock jerky, sourced from American Seafoods' raw material, went online last week, CEO and founder Nick Mendoza told IntraFish.

American supplied OneForNeptune with whole fillet pollock blocks for the product, which had already launched through Amazon earlier in the month. It was the company's ability to "articulate Alaska pollock's sustainability" that drew Mendoza to American, he said.

The company, which was initially planning on introducing the pollock jerky, in cracked pepper and honey lemon ginger flavors at the now-canceled Natural Products Expo West in California, has been forced to switch gears because of the coronavirus.

"We've been heartened because there has been quite a bit of interest from retail buyers," said Mendoza, who says connections with buyers have proven easier and cheaper through platforms such as Zoom, where he can get on a video conference call to pitch a product versus traveling to meet a buyer in person.

"We are proud to partner with such an innovative company to bring wild Alaska pollock to the wildly popular snacking segment," American Seafood's Exec VP of Marketing, Strategy & Innovation, Margery Schelling told IntraFish.

A seafood newcomer and Fish 2.0-winner, OneForNeptune was created in 2017.

The company's mission is to innovate with "new undervalued and underutilized fish species and industry offcuts, seeking to lessen the burden of overfishing, food waste, and seafood fraud on society."

It also produces rockfish jerky, and Mendoza said it is looking to expand its retail reach and product variety in the coming year.

"As a company we want to be the flagship brand for sustainable seafood snacks, not just a jerky brand," he said, noting the company is in the research and design phase for launching new seafood products in the snack category in the next six to 12 months.

The American Seafoods-supplied pollock jerky should also be available soon in one of the 50 natural-channel and co-op retailers OneForNeptune sells to.

Whitefish

American Seafoods partners with startup on Alaska pollock jerky