Wild Alaska Pollock is perfectly ‘On Trend’ for 2020

If you’re a self-diagnosed, obsessive foodie with FOMO (fear of missing out) like I am, you anxiously await not the list of resolutions but rather the list of the top food trends every New Years. Countless food and wine publications publish their predictions annually on the eve or shortly thereafter the new year and 2020 has been no exception. The New York Times, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, Real Simple Magazine and countless others all pointed to a variety of trends, but there were pretty consistent themes—and I have to admit I couldn’t be more excited for just how ‘on point’ my favorite food—Wild Alaska Pollock—is to marry perfectly with the hottest food fads for the roaring 20s (as those hipper and trendier than I have already taken to calling it).

So here’s my list of top trends and how Wild Alaska Pollock is perfectly positioned to take advantage of them all:

1. Environmentally conscious foods: There wasn’t a single list that was published that didn’t describe the growing desire for foods that are not only good for you, but good for the environment, too. Brands are going to be looking for ways to be more transparent with consumers taking up limited on-pack space to tell the story of the environmental impact of any given product—and they’re going to be rewarding companies and products that are sustainable in real ways. The good news for Wild Alaska Pollock? We already know we have an amazingly low impact on the environment and are sustainable in every sense of the word. Add to that the forthcoming results of our Life Cycle Assessment and we’ve got an incredible story to tell. We’ll be looking for food industry partners and brands that want to help us tell that story and recognize the public-private partnership that makes our entire sustainability story possible in the first place.

2. Asian Inspired: It’s the year of Japan as many trendsetters point out. Not only will the 2020 Summer Olympics take place in Tokyo, but consumers here in the U.S. continue to fall head over heels for Asian-inspired dishes. From Sushi made with Wild Alaska Pollock surimi seafood to delicious Wild Alaska Pollock fillets with a pan-asian inspired sauce, Wild Alaska Pollock is perfectly in line with Japanese and other Asian flavors. Part of the beauty of our fish is that it is 100 percent versatile, meaning it can take on a variety of flavors and work in just about any cuisine. The sky is the limit—bring on the chopsticks and the Wild Alaska Pollock!

3. Fresh Snacks: It seems like many brands are starting the new decade fully embracing the notion that meal patterns for many American’s have changed from the traditional ‘three squares’ a day to the more flexible snacking trend. Consumers—especially younger ones are eating six or more times a day and filling their bellies with substantial snacks. How can Wild Alaska Pollock capitalize on this trend? Well, for many, surimi seafood might be the perfect fit—a way to deliver high-protein in a convenient package. But, some companies like High Liner Foods are thinking even more outside the box with their Alaskan Wild Wing—and more innovations to come perfect for snacking. We have to put Wild Alaska Pollock in front of consumers in convenient ways and more and more of our industry partners are investing in doing just that.

4. Bye Bye Kids Menu: I was surprised, but many trend-spotters indicated that the kids menu may soon be a thing of the past. Younger parents, especially millennials are looking for ways to serve their children healthy, trendy food and aren’t interested in plating a different meal for their children than for themselves and their significant other. Enter the upgraded “kids” food and “kids meal.” With celebrity influencers like Antoni Porowski reimagining what we can do with a delicious Wild Alaska Pollock fish stick we’re sure to take advantage of this trend if we can work to continue positioning Wild Alaska Pollock as the perfect food for kids and big kids, alike.

5. Alternative Proteins: Yes, it’s true. Almost every list had a mention of alternative proteins being all the rage for the new decade and beyond. So how do we compete? My advice is that Wild Alaska Pollock is a perfect protein and we don’t need to pick the fight. This is our moment. The appeal of alternative, “plant-based” proteins is that they’re better for the environment than traditional meat. Well, so are we. So, we have common ground there. And, part of me wonders if there isn’t opportunity for innovation with plant-based proteins. When I was in Japan last year, I tasted Surimi products that mixed traditional tofu with Wild Alaska Pollock to create new options. Let’s not focus on beating them. Instead, let’s focus on joining them. We—as a global population—are heading into a protein shortage so our job should be to create options for consumers around the world.

6. Blue food and More: Perhaps the funniest trends of 2020 were those that involved “blue food.” Apparently blue is this year’s pantone color and food is no exception. Good news for us, Wild Alaska Pollock comes from the deep blue waters off of Alaska and we can be all over that trend. Plus, versatility means theoretically we could pair our fish with some blue accompaniments. I challenge all the chefs out there to do just that. Other trends worth mentioning include the use of CBD oil in everything (I’m not going to comment on that but I’m sure some chefs in our home of Seattle will be all over that ;-) and Filipino desserts (again, I want to believe Wild Alaska Pollock can be good in anything but I just don’t know if I’m up for a Wild Alaska Pollock flan). Now, I’m all for trendy but there’s just one I can’t get on board with…mocktails. Seems like a waste to me!

Besides those notable exceptions, all of these trends are on point for Wild Alaska Pollock and ripe for the taking—we just need to meet consumers where they are. It’s going to take a continued investment in innovation, in marketing and messaging, and in insight and research. But, we can do it together.