Rahbekfisk, Royal Greenland
Among Seafood Prix d’Elite Winners

Juniper Berry Cured Salmon and Haddock with Two Nordic Compotes won the retail packaging Seafood Prix d’Elite award for Rahbekfisk.

Rahbekfisk A/S of Fredericia, Denmark, was presented the Seafood Prix d’Elite special award for retail packaging for its Nordisch Juniper Berry Cured Salmon & Cured Haddock with Two Nordic Compotes at the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels, Belgium, on April 22.

The salmon-haddock product and other winners were chosen from a field of 40 finalists, after being judged on taste and overall eating experience, packaging, marketability, convenience, nutritional value and originality. In addition to two grand prizes, five special awards were presented by the panel of judges.

The Rahbekfisk entry, inspired by the international wave in popularity for Japanese-style sashimi dishes, has a Nordic twist. Salmon and haddock are cured in the traditional Nordic method, and are offered with two compotes made from sea buckthorn berry and carrot, and green tomato and horseradish.

Salmon Tournedos Makes Mark

Royal Greenland scored a foodservice Prix d’Elite for its Wild Atlantic Salmon Tournedos wrapped in Danish bacon.

A new concept in hybrid catfish called Claresse won the originality award for Anova Food of the Netherlands.

King Prawn & Mussels in a cream sauce from Lyons Seafoods took the special convenience award.

In the foodservice category, the grand prize went to Royal Greenland of Aalborg, Denmark, for its Salmon Tournedos – 100% Atlantic salmon portions wrapped with Danish bacon. The product is individually frozen and portion controlled to present an easy and fast-to-prepare, high quality menu offering.

The judges pointed out that it provides chefs with a premium restaurant item that has the added convenience of consistent size and weight. They also appreciated the flavor combination of bacon and salmon.

Royal Greenland shared the Prix d’Elite spotlight with Stuehrk Delikatessen Import GmbH of Marne, Germany, which took the grand prize for best new retail product with its entry, Bear Biter, a line of cold smoked wild Alaska salmon strips that are marinated in a variety of innovative flavors.

The product, which also won a special award in the seafood product line competition, is packed under modified atmosphere conditions in a transparent retail pack and is certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. It features flavors like herb butter, plum & cognac, lemon pepper, balsamic & mustard, hot mango, honey mustard, pepper, and natural.

A new aquaculture species, Claresse®, from Anova Food BV of ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, was presented with a Seafood Prix d’Elite special award for originality. The freshwater fish is a natural cross between two varieties of the catfish family. It has a firm texture and smooth flavor without an excessively fishy taste. Sustainably grown in the Netherlands, Claresse contains important nutrients and is naturally rich in Omega-3.

Lyons Product Roars to Victory

King Prawn & Mussel Marinière a la Crème from Lyons Seafoods Ltd. of Warminster, United Kingdom, was awarded the Seafood Prix d’Elite special award for convenience. Going beyond the classic Moules Marinière, this frozen product features large, farmed warmwater king prawns and Irish rope-grown mussels from Bantry Bay in a classic cream marinière sauce. Packed in individual, portion-controlled servings, the dish can be microwaved for an easy menu solution.

Party On, to Your Health, with Apero Spoons

The Seafood Prix d’Elite special prize for health and nutrition was won by Levenstond Seafood of Vlijtingen, Belgium, for its Apero Spoons.

Promoted as “a healthy party offering,” Apero Spoons feature sliced salmon, a tartare of scallops, and mango individually presented in reusable, transparent spoons. Six spoons are arranged together on a transparent master tray that is ready to place on the table.

The panel of judges for the 2008 Seafood Prix d’Elite competition were Maria Morales Almeida, who is engaged in fresh goods purchasing for Grupo Eroski in Spain; Tam Nguyen, private label and import manager for Système U in France; Olivier De Coster, category manager for the Delhaize Group in Belgium; and Peter Joyner, marketing director in charge of contracts for Elior in the United Kingdom.

Joyner also served as chairman of judges.

Open Ocean Aquaculture Firm Looks to Expand

Kona Blue Water Farms has raised $2.6 million to expand its current fish farming operations in Kona, Hawaii, and is seeking further funding to begin international expansion.

The company, which has moved its headquarters from Honolulu to San Francisco, is said to be the first integrated hatchery and open ocean aquaculture operation in the United States. It raises Kona Kampachi®, a Hawaiian yellowtail fish, on a sustainable basis. Monthly sales reportedly increased 200% last year.