Only For The Most Discerning Chefs And Restaurants - Alaska Sockeye Salmon
- By Bill Webber
- Published 21 April 2008
Bill Webber
Born and raised in Cordova, Alaska - Bill aspires to produce the highest quality fresh and frozen Alaska salmon to his discriminating customers around the U.S. While on board his vessel, he takes personal attention to each and every fish, while communicating directly with the chef, restaurant or retailer purchasing his seafood with information about the harvest, quality of the run and histories and stories of the region that provide the ultimate in accountability and assurance of the best possible seafood.
William (Bill) Webber
_________________________
Gulkana Seafoods-Direct
Webber Marine & Mfg., Inc.
PO Box 1230
Mile 6-1/4 Copper River Hwy.
Cordova, AK 99574-1230
907.424.5176 Phone
907.253.2628 Cell
877.444.0498 Fax
877.253.5176 Toll Free
254.460.6667 Globalstar
www.WebberMarine.com
www.GulkanaSeafoodsDirect.com
For Only The Most Discerning Chefs And Restaurants
The following was submitted to National Fisherman last Fall as my "quick list" of must do's for those who are direct marketing their wild fish. While this may give away some of my trade secrets, I will plan to follow up and discuss more of these in practical applications, as well as ways discerning buyers of Alaska wild seafood can best be prepared to purchase product from direct marketers.
Here's my quick must do's.
1. Don't scrimp on gel ice: You may save a few pennies for both you and your customer, but will they get quality you have put into your product? Use around 15% gel ice, i.e. 50# of product, use 7# of gel ice.
2. Insulated shipping containers: Research available shipping materials for improved insulation. Deliver quality, Quality, QUALITY!.
3. Get to know the airline's local air freight agent: Good relations here will sometimes (and more often than not) get your shipment in transit, in times when space on the plane may be short.
4. Digital Camera: Drawing customers into your lifestyle heightens the sense of adventure. That guy in the raincoat pulling in the gear is the customer’s personal fisherman.
5. Keep in touch: Your customers will want to know more about your product. Don't limit your communication to invoices. Try writing short weekly descriptions of your fishery for distribution via e-mail to your customers and potential customers. Remember, you're selling the romance of commercial fishing as well as fish.
6. Communication : Announce when you are about to go fishing again and what species will be available.
7. Quality Responsibility starts with the fisherman: We have the first contact with seafood, therefore we set the bar for quality before it moves to the next set of hands. Quality-conscious handling is paramount!
8. Mobile Office Technology: My laptop and cell phone go with me everywhere. The satellite phone is on the boat for secure email/data communications so I’m always available for that last minute order.
9. The mind is the most important tool: Having an open mind to change is what keeps you adaptive.
10. Find Your Niche: Your business model is as unique as you are. Know your marketplace you are targeting.
11. Best Bleeding Techniques: Live Immersion Bleeding and Pressure Bleeding
12. On Board Processing: Pre-rigor processing means standing on deck heading & gutting within 15 minutes of bleeding out. This fully maximizes the shelf life of your product. Very important to your customer.
13. Always Back to Port: You must return to the harbor to finish your tasks, your job is only half-done when you hit the dock. Direct Marketers need stamina!
14. Many Hats: Fisherman, Processor, Packager, Shipper, Marketer all rolled into one incredible, visionary, twenty-second century food producer for the world.
15. Maintain a website: The most effective way to reach others while describing your operation and listing product forms available.
16. Educating the marketplace: The fisherman transforms into a teacher on the topics of river system, geology of the region, life cycles, sustainability of the resource and continued nurturing of the harvester/customer relationship.
The following was submitted to National Fisherman last Fall as my "quick list" of must do's for those who are direct marketing their wild fish. While this may give away some of my trade secrets, I will plan to follow up and discuss more of these in practical applications, as well as ways discerning buyers of Alaska wild seafood can best be prepared to purchase product from direct marketers.
Here's my quick must do's.
1. Don't scrimp on gel ice: You may save a few pennies for both you and your customer, but will they get quality you have put into your product? Use around 15% gel ice, i.e. 50# of product, use 7# of gel ice.
2. Insulated shipping containers: Research available shipping materials for improved insulation. Deliver quality, Quality, QUALITY!.
3. Get to know the airline's local air freight agent: Good relations here will sometimes (and more often than not) get your shipment in transit, in times when space on the plane may be short.
4. Digital Camera: Drawing customers into your lifestyle heightens the sense of adventure. That guy in the raincoat pulling in the gear is the customer’s personal fisherman.
5. Keep in touch: Your customers will want to know more about your product. Don't limit your communication to invoices. Try writing short weekly descriptions of your fishery for distribution via e-mail to your customers and potential customers. Remember, you're selling the romance of commercial fishing as well as fish.
6. Communication : Announce when you are about to go fishing again and what species will be available.
7. Quality Responsibility starts with the fisherman: We have the first contact with seafood, therefore we set the bar for quality before it moves to the next set of hands. Quality-conscious handling is paramount!
8. Mobile Office Technology: My laptop and cell phone go with me everywhere. The satellite phone is on the boat for secure email/data communications so I’m always available for that last minute order.
9. The mind is the most important tool: Having an open mind to change is what keeps you adaptive.
10. Find Your Niche: Your business model is as unique as you are. Know your marketplace you are targeting.
11. Best Bleeding Techniques: Live Immersion Bleeding and Pressure Bleeding
12. On Board Processing: Pre-rigor processing means standing on deck heading & gutting within 15 minutes of bleeding out. This fully maximizes the shelf life of your product. Very important to your customer.
13. Always Back to Port: You must return to the harbor to finish your tasks, your job is only half-done when you hit the dock. Direct Marketers need stamina!
14. Many Hats: Fisherman, Processor, Packager, Shipper, Marketer all rolled into one incredible, visionary, twenty-second century food producer for the world.
15. Maintain a website: The most effective way to reach others while describing your operation and listing product forms available.
16. Educating the marketplace: The fisherman transforms into a teacher on the topics of river system, geology of the region, life cycles, sustainability of the resource and continued nurturing of the harvester/customer relationship.
