As more Kiwis explore ways to prepare and eat whole fish, Foodstuffs North Island has made fresh whole fish more accessible in its supermarkets.
Customers at PAK’nSAVE, New World, and Four Square stores across the North Island have enjoyed export-quality fish delivered straight from sea to store, thanks to co-op-owned Leigh Fish, a New Zealand fishery based north of Auckland, and key suppliers including Moana New Zealand and local small-scale fishers.
Traditionally, fish fillets have been a popular go-to among customers, but the growing demand for whole fish has led Foodstuffs to boost its availability.
Brett Sellers, Seafood Operations Manager for Foodstuffs North Island, said that while most New Zealand seafood was exported, premium export-quality fish has typically been difficult for Kiwis to access, except through high-end restaurants or local direct-to-consumer sources until now.
“Five years ago, we partnered with Leigh Fish to expand our New Zealand seafood range, having committed to provide the best and freshest seafood directly to our customers,” said Sellers.
“Through the partnership, we’ve included more fresh whole fish from New Zealand, like snapper and trevally, particularly in our PAK’nSAVE stores, which we’ve seen grow steadily each year. We also work closely with our other key suppliers, including Moana New Zealand and smaller local fishing businesses, to offer customers some of the freshest fish available at our stores."
The aim has been to create an in-store fresh fish market experience, with stores having up to six fresh fish deliveries weekly. This means stores can order just enough to cover daily sales, which helps minimise waste and ensures customers get the freshest fish possible.
Sellers said that although fillets have continued to be the most popular way to buy fish, Kiwis' enthusiasm for buying whole fish has been great to see. He said that whole fish was a more flavourful and sustainable way to consume fish.
“Fish fillets have historically been how most fish have been marketed and consumed in New Zealand. Many species only return about a third of their weight into a fillet; it’s also a very labour-intensive process, so why not use the whole fish?"
He added that vmany cultures around the world prepared and cooked fish whole. Like with meat, keeping the bones intact helped retain much more flavour and a whole fish can be served very well as a banquet dish for multiple people.
Another growth area has been for salmon, particularly around Christmas, when sales doubled the week before.
"More Kiwis are including salmon in their festive meals. It's a great fresh summer alternative to traditional Christmas meats, so it's wonderful to see more people embracing it during the holiday season."
Foodstuffs North Island stores are all locally owned and operated, meaning they could tailor ranges to suit locals, which is crucial when buying fresh seafood.
“The more inland and rural regions like Tokoroa, Matamata and Taupō have access to fresh seafood at the same time as coastal areas, so locals can still enjoy kaimoana regardless of proximity to the sea.”
His top tip for fresh seafood was to avoid "breaking the cold chain," ensuring it stayed chilled as even an hour or two in a hot vehicle could significantly deteriorate the quality of the seafood.
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