Pandemic Consumers Turn to Top Quality Fish

Work from home. Zoom quizzes. Friday night deliveries. In many ways, the past fifteen months of on-and-off lockdowns have been far from glamorous.

Pandemic Consumers Turn to Top Quality Fish

Yet despite the economic damage inflicted by the pandemic, many consumers have found that with their favourite restaurants and bars closed for business, they’ve had more money to spend on other things.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given supermarkets exemption from lockdown rules, the majority of Brits say that they’ve upped their food budgets during the pandemic, often in an attempt to recreate their favourite dishes and cuisines from home.

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A notable beneficiary of this trend has been the premium fish market, with the public, liberated from the cost of marked-up booze and ruinous service charges, deciding to splash their surplus cash on the finest, freshest cuts.

Whether it’s baking a delicately flavoured cod fillet or having a comfy night in with wild-sourced fish fingers, lockdown has put top quality fish back on the menu.

You are What you Eat

The beauty of seafood, and this is alas something that can’t be said of red meat, is that it’s both tasty and nutritious – little wonder fish has become such a popular choice during this recent health crisis.

Atlantic cod, light and versatile, is a source of essential nutrients and vitamins, and research shows that weekly servings can boost immunity, support healthy bones, and aid digestion.

A staple of various cuisines and culinary traditions, haddock is chock full of vitamin D – a necessary supplement for sun-starved lockdownees.

The high protein content and low-calorie count of both these fish make them a smart choice for those of us who have been couch-bound throughout the pandemic.

Just as importantly, premium fish is free from additives and flavour enhancers, making it the way to go for anyone on a health kick.

The Right Supplier  

To get the highest quality products, it’s important to pick the right supplier.

Norebo, an industry giant who supplies Iglo, Findus and Birds Eye, has used its state-of-the-art fleet and processing capabilities to deliver consistently top-end products to the global market.

Setting the standard for the rest of the industry, the company guarantees that all its catch is fully frozen at sea within just hours of being caught, ensuring that the fish are fresh and flavourful.

By targeting healthy and well managed fish stocks, Norebo is able to harvest sustainably and secures a regular supply of top-quality fish.

Its vast premium offering includes Atlantic cod and haddock, Alaska pollock, commander squid, Greenland and Pacific halibut, Pacific cod and Northern shrimp, all of which are wild caught by its veteran crews.

Consumers and restaurant partners also benefit from the versatility of Norebo products – you can have its fillets skinless or skin-on, boneless or as is, depending on your preference.

Yet perhaps the star of Norebo’s range is its cod loins, the most sough-after cut of fish.

It only takes a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a short time in the oven, to have the fish at its majestic best.

Conscious Consumers

The strong demand for premium fish reflects the high value that consumers place on the provenance of the products they buy.

As a society, we are becoming more and more aware of the environmental costs of unsustainable practices and many shoppers have stopped buying products which are not labelled with recognised sustainable fishery and ethical standards.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recently conducted a survey of 20,000 people across 23 countries and nearly half of their respondents said they would pay more for seafood from a certified sustainable fishery.

What’s more, sustainable sourcing is now neck and neck with price as a purchase motivator for seafood lovers.

Norebo, one of the industry trend-setters, has used technology and the latest scientific advice to ensure that their approach is rooted in sustainability.

Take the company’s top of the range cod fillets. These are sourced from Norebo’s fisheries in the Barents and Western Bering seas, in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans, which have been certified by the MSC.

Bright Prospects

Despite impressive retail sales, the closure of restaurants and other food outlets have made the last year a gruelling one for the fishing industry.

A sector that was thriving before the pandemic has had to handle a drop in total demand and the impact of trade disruptions on its supply chains.

The silver lining from such a difficult period is that consumers are becoming more health conscious and concerned about the environmental and social impacts of their purchases.

If shoppers continue to vote with their forks, then suppliers who provide the highest quality, most sustainable products will enjoy a rapid return to normality and lasting success.

Fishing may be a tough industry, but as ever, the firms who listen to their customers will have the brightest futures.