Big Glory Bay king salmon recognised at food awards
Just months after launching their first retail-ready pack into Kiwi supermarkets, the fresh Big Glory Bay king salmon portions have had that "exceptional difference" confirmed by a panel of experts.
“Very clean, sweet flavour. Fine texture and delicious”.
That’s what the judges at the 2023 Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards had to say about the Big Glory Bay Salmon pack portions when they awarded it a gold medal last Thursday.
Group Marketing Manager, Emma Croft comments: “I was jumping up and down, ecstatic that our first ever fresh salmon retail product was recognised like this.”
Big Glory Bay has long been touting the distinct flavour and aesthetic differences of salmon that has been raised in a pure environment, free from hormones, anti-biotics and GMOs.
But now, just months after launching their very first retail-ready pack into Kiwi supermarkets, the fresh Big Glory Bay king salmon portions have had that exceptional difference confirmed by a panel of experts.
Senior Brand Manager, Christina Huesgen won’t soon forget the moment the team found out they won gold: “I was so excited. Our entire team was, as you can imagine. We’re so proud and grateful to receive recognition for all our hard work and dedication, and to stand out in such a competitive market.”
To get to this point though, it’s been an incredible, and very delicious journey.
When most people think salmon, they think big Alaskan rivers and hungry grizzly bears.
So, it may seem strange then that when Big Glory Bay opened in 1993, it was at 47˚ south, making it one of the most remote aquaculture farms in the world. But to those who know their salmon, this idea wasn’t strange at all, it was by design. In fact, we’re convinced that this postcard location is what gives our fish its award-winning flavour.
Andre Gargiulo, Chief Customer Officer said: “We’re lucky enough to work in the clean, isolated waters of Aotearoa, meaning our fish can happily stay free from antibiotics, and the Southern Ocean current of Rakiura provides healthy average temperatures, so our fish can grow slowly and develop as they should, naturally, free from GMOs and other additives.”
This location is what sets Big Glory Bay salmon apart, and so it should be no surprise that we are committed to protecting it.
Flavour wasn’t the only consideration in the Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards after all, sustainability played a huge part in the judges’ decisions. And this is where our people set themselves apart.
Big Glory Bay salmon has even been awarded the coveted “Best Choice, Buy First” ranking by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Programme, an organisation that rates seafood worldwide based on strictly scientific standards of sustainability.
Keeping our pristine location pristine has been a massive priority since the company began, even though that commitment can take a lot of work from a lot of people. Says Emma, “It was amazing to have the efforts of the entire team - farmers, supply chain, factory and all the way through to marketing - be recognised for all the over and above efforts we go to, to make our business sustainable and provide outstanding food. It’s so meaningful to us.”