GAPP Awards Record-Number of 2025 Partnership Proposals with Funding at Annual Meeting Event

 

SEATTLE, Wash.— At its sixth Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting, the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced today to the nearly 300 attendees at the W Hotel Seattle, the names of the companies who have been awarded fiscal year 2025 GAPP Partnership Program Partnerships. 

“There’s a reason to be especially optimistic about the future of this industry as we look ahead. This year’s application process was the most competitive yet—with 34 unique applications and a total requested funding of nearly 4.4 million dollars,” said GAPP CEO Craig Morris during his opening remarks this morning. “In the spirit of our ‘Going Global’ Annual Meeting theme, even more exciting is that nearly 40 percent of those applications were from outside of the United States.”

This year’s impressive list of awardees includes several past North American partners such as Trident Seafoods, who will continue to build on its successes in introducing Wild Alaska Pollock in sports and entertainment venues across America, and who will also use Partnership dollars to support products at Costco stores nationwide. Also returning this year is Gorton’s, who will be supporting its core products through its “The Sea Belongs to All of Us,” campaign and driving demand for one existing product and one new item at a national chain of club stores. Trans-Ocean will continue its successful series of digital campaigns promoting its Crab Classic line of products at retail. Another long-time partner, King and Prince Seafood, will promote its Parmesan Crusted Wild Alaska Pollock fillets in non-traditional channels, while returning partner High Liner Foods will be supporting Wild Alaska Pollock during Lent at a QSR chain who has not yet been the beneficiary of GAPP’s Partnership Program.

GAPP is also pleased to welcome four new North American companies to the Partnership Program this year. Sysco will promote Wild Alaska Pollock through targeted emails to customers and through its in-house publications. Mama Hu’s Sushi Bakes is a start-up company in New York that will use Partnership funds to expand its footprint at retail outlets carrying its products. Gourmet Fusion Foods received Partnership dollars to market its line of surimi seafood products at Los Mariscos stores throughout California. Harbor Foods received funds to support its Skippers line of breaded Alaska Pollock stores in C-stores throughout the western United States. Lastly, White Castle will use Partnership dollars to promote its Fish Nibblers and Fish Sliders made with Wild Alaska Pollock during the 2025 Lenten season.

Internationally, Angulas Aguinaga will conduct its fourth Partnership Program as it continues to build Spanish consumers’ awareness and appreciation for the quality of its Krissia brand surimi seafood made with Wild Alaska Pollock. Also returning are international Partners Nissui, who will continue to promote the superiority of its Spicy Wild Alaska Pollock roe products in Japan’s Costco stores, and Trident Seafoods - Japan who will do the same for its Kanikama surimi-based seafood products at Costco and support the launch of new portable Wild Alaska Pollock at Cosmos, one of the largest drug store chains in Japan. Also returning is Colombia-based Antillana, a seafood processor and distributor, that will continue the promotion of its line of surimi-and-fillet-based Wild Alaska Pollock products in Colombian retail and foodservice channels. 

GAPP is also pleased to welcome two new Partners, two Brazilian companies that will be conducting promotions with GAPP Partnership dollars. Noronha Pescados will market its Maritos line of fun-shaped Wild Alaska Pollock nuggets to children and new restaurant Notorious Fish will promote its top-selling items that contain Wild Alaska Pollock at its casual restaurant in Sao Paulo.

“As the GAPP Partnership Program enters its ‘second term’, recently celebrating its 5-year anniversary at the Boston Seafood Show, all told, GAPP has invested 9.5 million dollars, into 100 different partners over the last five years, and one-fifth of those partners have been based outside of the U.S.,” said Morris.

“This year’s Partnership Program was our most competitive yet, and we’re excited to work with all of our new and returning partners to continue building demand,” said Ron Rogness, GAPP Director of Partnerships. “GAPP very much appreciates those that applied, and we look forward to working with all our partners, both old and new, in the coming year. Our heartfelt congratulations to all the recipients.” 

GAPP would like to thank its generous sponsors for this year’s event: USI Insurance Services (Title); Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Glacier Fish Company, and Global Seas (Gold); Alaska Airlines, American Seafoods, Aquamar, Arctic Storm Management Group, Beck Pack Systems, Delta Western, Gorton’s Seafood, NORPEL, Port of Seattle, Rabobank, Trans-Ocean Products, Trident Seafoods, UniSea, and Westward Seafoods (Silver); Ag West Farm Credit, APICDA, Alaska Marine Lines, Arionbanki, Baader, Clark Nuber, Coastal Transportation, Golden Alaska Seafoods, High Liner Foods, Íslandsbanki, Ketchum, King & Prince Seafoods, Lafferty’s EMS, Lucky Louie Fish Shack, Marine Stewardship Council, McDonald’s, NSEDC, Parker, Smith & Feek, PPLP, Rogge Co. (Charlie’s Produce), and Wells Fargo (Bronze); Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Angulas-Aguinaga, Bank of America, Frontier Packaging, Global Seafood Alliance, Industrial Resources, Inc., InnaSea Media, Neptune Snacks, Perkins Coie, Restaurant Depot, Seattle Tacoma Box, Umpqua Bank, and U.S. Electric (Supporting).