Wild Alaska pollock dishes are now menu options for a second major sports venue, New York’s UBS Arena, home of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders, in a partnership negotiated by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP).
The deal was announced on Feb. 14 by GAPP CEO Craig Morris, who said there’s a massive opportunity for seafood at sports and events venues, something the association has been invested in capitalizing on.
“The Wild Alaska Pollock menu items at Climate Pledge Arena’s Fork & Fin marketplace (in Seattle) have been incredibly successful, and we have no doubt that wild Alaska pollock will perform just as well in New York at UBS Arena,” Morris said.
The partnership, funded by GAPP and Trident Seafoods, is expected to continue for the next several months, and hopefully beyond, he added.
Chefs at UBS Arena have cooked up new menu items for the venue’s DIME Club and Central Market, with different dishes in the DIME Club being featured during each game or event, from Blackened Wild Alaska Pollock Street Tacos to a Potato Crusted Wild Alaska Pollock with Roasted Veggies and Bruschetta.
“Just observing fans in mid-February showed that when given the option of the mild tasting, healthy whitefish like wild Alaska pollock they choose it again and again,” Morris said. “It’s clear consumers are looking for that option, especially with Lent starting (in mid-February).”
GAPP was recently awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Saltonstall-Kennedy Program to market the succulent white fish. The funding is to help support continued promotion of wild Alaska pollock at Climate Pledge Arena and to expand marketing to sports and entertainment venues nationwide.
GAPP is a nonprofit that advocates for wild Alaska pollock caught in waters offshore of Alaska. Its mission is to build demand and awareness for the fish through product innovation and research.