Sitka seafood company bolstering its marketing in Midwest

SITKA, Alaska — A Sitka-based seafood company is strengthening their marketing efforts in the Midwest.

Sitka Salmon Shares has always marketed their fish to the Midwest, but President and Chief Salmon Steward Nicolaas Mink expects that their efforts will be easier now that the company has secured a spot at a new marketing hub under development in Madison, Wisconsin.

The company was founded in 2011 with the idea to get Alaskan fish to the Midwest, the Daily Sitka Sentinel reported Thursday.

The company has a 10,000-square-foot (929-square meter) processing plant in Sitka, and two "Good-Fish Hubs" in the Midwest.

It works with 100 wholesale partners and serves 5,000 consumers through its "Community Supported Fishery," which provides members with a monthly box of seafood.

"People tasted Sitka fish, and they tell their friends, and they order more, and they order again ... It's a testament to the amazing abundant natural resources in Sitka and the hard work of our fisherman-owners," Mink said.

The new facility, to be located at Madison's historic Garver Feed Mill, will house Sitka Salmon Shares' distribution, packaging, marketing and retail functions and allow them to do on the ground marketing, Mink said.

"The Garver Feed Mill has always been really central to the Midwest's food story," he said. "It's exciting that our fish, Alaskan fish, can play an important role with that."