2021.02.15
When is “frozen” better than “fresh?”?
Surprise! Salmon that is immediately processed and frozen is superior to “fresh” salmon you may see sitting out in your grocery store.
How could that be? Isn’t fresh always better than frozen? Well, no. Especially when it comes to seafood and in particular, salmon.
Consider this: once our AysénCoho is harvested, it is prepared and filleted in an isolated, temperature-controlled room then frozen within 8 hours or less of harvest. This level of quality preparation and storage of our salmon is a major example of how freezing is revolutionizing the Coho salmon industry. After it’s been frozen, our salmon is then transported to the US by boat. Competitors who ship their fresh salmon by air create 20 times more CO2 emissions than our choice of boat transport.
Compare this to fresh salmon. Sometimes it takes more than 72 hours for it to be processed and delivered to a merchant or restaurant. It may be temporarily frozen or transported to the market in cold storage where it sits, waiting for purchase. The quality and taste can rapidly change unless it has been frozen. And unfortunately, there is also the possibility of other forms of contamination in the process. This is why we’re confident that our frozen process delivers the best quality of salmon to our customers and fans throughout the world – and our fresh Coho Salmon can be considered as safe as (if not safer) than wild salmon.
Our precise harvesting and shipping process ensures that our AysénCoho is of sashimi quality, which offers customers the choice to eat it raw if preferred. The term “sashimi grade” is derived from the Japanese concept of a safe harvesting and preparation process for fish. And naturally the ability to freeze Coho salmon also provides another major competitive advantage: longer shelf life when compared to fresh salmon.
We focus solely on the production of Coho, making us the only company in the world to do so. This unique species of salmon is typically located in the North Pacific Ocean and smaller bodies of water stretching from Alaska to the central parts of California. In addition, the United States also has Coho salmon in many landlocked reservoirs and the five Great Lakes. Initially, Coho salmon are found in freshwater areas, where they spend approximately a year before seeking out their saltwater home. The fish will then spend about 1.5 years in the ocean before migrating back to their freshwater area of origin. In addition, Coho salmon mature at approximately twice the rate as other species of salmon. The time spent in freshwater areas, along with their increased rate of growth, causes much less environmental impact than other species of salmon.
Finally, another major component of how freezing Coho salmon is changing the industry is the price stability of the product. The price of frozen Coho salmon is not nearly as unpredictable when compared to fresh Atlantic salmon. This gives grocers (and restaurants) a competitive advantage because our product can be stocked with confidence in the stability of the price.
When it comes to quality salmon that is safely prepared and transported, the freezing process provides salmon fans and customers with a much superior product (and better value) than Atlantic farmed and fresh salmon and sometimes safer than sockeye, depending on its process. So, when you’re in the grocery store and ready to buy salmon, remember that frozen AysénCoho is the safest and most sustainable choice available.
