A major promoter of wild Alaska Pollock plans to announce by mid-September matching grants for its latest round of partnership funding in a competition to expand markets for wild Alaska Pollock products worldwide.
All proposals are due to Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) by Aug. 12.
“The global food sector is now, perhaps more than ever, ripe for disruptive innovation and break-through promotions,” GAPP Chief Executive Officer Craig Morris said.
GAPP’s research has identified key growth areas for wild Alaska Pollock that are of particular interest in this round of funding. Specifically, the organization has said that it will give particular emphasis to programs that take place in “favorable” or “very favorable” conditions as identified by Wild Alaska Pollock 2040 research.
GAPP has expressed particular interest in programs highlighting individually quick-frozen fillets, surimi seafood products, roe, fish oil or those that use Wild Alaska Pollock as an ingredient in am innovative way, like snacks, pastas or pet foods.
In the restaurant sector, GAPP was seeking new ideas for chefs and restaurant menus to introduce wild Alaska Pollock to more customers, from fast-casual to upscale eateries.
This is the fourth year for GAPP’s competitive partnership program, which has to date allocated over $6.5 million in matching funds to launch new products, seeking placement for the fish in new channels or raising awareness of wild Alaska Pollock through influencer and other marketing channels.
GAPP has also announced plans for its annual meeting on Oct. 17 at the Westin hotel in Seattle.
The theme of this year’s event, Morris said, is “Strategically Building Awareness and Demand for the Perfect Protein.”
“We’ll be dropping the curtain on new, proprietary research—like our fourth nationwide year-over-year consumer tracking study conducted by Ketchum, discussing the latest marketing initiatives designed to raise awareness and build demand for our fish, and hosting some special guest speakers designed to inspire and challenge all of us to think bigger,” he revealed.
The event includes a mid-day lunch and a wild Alaska Pollock-themed reception. Registration information for in-person attendance is available on the GAPP website, https://www.alaskapollock.org/about-us/events.
Organizers say that additional information relative to the agenda, confirmed speakers and virtual attendance registration, will be posted on the website periodically.