Gorton’s Inc. from Gloucester, Massachusetts, officially joined as a cooperating party in the Ecuadorian Gulf of Guayaquil Titi Shrimp Fishery Improvement Project (Titi-FIP).  The agreement was signed with Ecuador’s National Chamber of Fisheries (CNP), the organization leading the project.

Gorton’s, which is celebrating its 175th anniversary next year, is the leading U.S. frozen prepared seafood brand and an important supplier of value-added products to supermarkets, club stores, and quick-serve restaurants throughout North America.  Gorton’s is committed to responsible sourcing of its seafood raw materials with a focus on minimizing the environmental impact of its business operations.

Dillon Cecchi, Gorton’s Buyer & Ocean/Fishery Health CSR Pillar Lead says, “We are excited to officially join and support this FIP and its improvement efforts happening in such an important fishery.  We applaud the work done already in establishing this coalition and look forward to contributing towards positive change with the shared goal of ensuring the health of this resource for years to come.”

The Gulf of Guayaquil Titi Shrimp Fishery Improvement Project was created in 2020 through the combined efforts of NATLUK S.A. (Ecuador), Rich Products (USA), and Delta Blue (USA).  In 2023, the leadership and administration responsibilities were passed along to the CNP.  The project also includes a coalition of seven Ecuadorian processing and exporting companies working jointly with local fishermen and public/private stakeholders to establish a viable path towards MSC certification.

Immediate focus areas for the FIP include the strengthening of data collection, governance, and prevention measures aimed at combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU).

Veronica Dahik, FIP Executive Committee Lead and Manager of NATLUK S.A. says, “It is exciting to see how we are moving forward.  Important companies in the sector, international market clients, and the fishing fleet are united by a common objective. I am sure that we will achieve it.  It is not easy, but it is the right path to take. The sustainability of the resource is our responsibility.  As actors in the sector, we must protect the resource for future generations and the world”.

The CNP is an organization made up of various companies in the fishing sector, shipowners and processors of tuna, small pelagics, canned fish, fishmeal and frozen seafood, among others. Rafael Trujillo, its Executive Director, points out that “The CNP together with its partners and strategic allies works to ensure sustainability of the fishing sector, which includes the biological, economic and social dimension of a fishery. This kind of projects works with public-private synergies, which has proven to be a powerful instrument to unite efforts to face sustainability challenges.”

This article originally appeared on the Titi Shrimp Sustainability website.

Connelly Partners is Small Agency of the Year, Best Use of TikTok

Just a few months after launching on TikTok, Gorton’s Seafood had amassed more than 100,000 followers.

When a decades-old legacy brand wants to pivot to attract new, younger consumers, there’s no better place to turn than TikTok. And that’s exactly the approach Connelly Partners took to reintroduce Gorton’s Seafood to Gen Z and millennial consumers last summer.

Connelly Partners launched the established frozen seafood brand on TikTok to imbue it with a fresh sense of youth and playfulness—or, in the campaign’s words, to “Make the Freezer Hot Again.” The Boston-based agency took a phased approach to Gorton’s introduction to TikTok, first teaming up with millennial parents to produce videos showing their kids eagerly gobbling down the brand’s frozen fish sticks before later using TikTok to promote and announce the launch of a new air-fried product line.

Gorton’s also leaned into the popularity of AR filters on the platform and launched its own filter that enabled users to catch these air-fried fish in their mouths.

Influencer partners were a key part of both campaign stages, and much of the video content produced throughout the campaign stemmed from the “Gorton’s Creator Team,” a group of food, family and lifestyle influencers.

Just a few months after launching on TikTok, Gorton’s had amassed more than 100,000 followers; the brand’s overall campaign garnered a total of 6.5 million views and 503,000 engagements across its six-month span.

Not too shabby for a brand 150 years older than the consumers it aimed to reach.

This article originally appeared in AdAge.

New Air Fried Fillets and Butterfly Shrimp deliver light, crispy texture with less fat

GLOUCESTER, Mass., Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Gorton’s Seafood, the nation’s leading frozen prepared seafood producer, announced Wednesday the launch of two new products, Air Fried Fish Fillets and Air Fried Butterfly Shrimp. Now available nationwide, Gorton’s Air Fried products combine the delicious fresh taste of seafood with a light, crispy breading that has 50% less fat.

“The most exciting part about these new products is that they’ve already been air fried before they get to the consumer,” said Gorton’s Vice President of Marketing Jake Holbrook. “You don’t need to own an air fryer to enjoy all of the benefits of light, super crispy breaded seafood, and increasing accessibility to this type of product is very important to us. Over the last few years, the interest in air fried food has skyrocketed, so we wanted to develop products that deliver the taste and crunch that today’s consumers are craving while maintaining the quality that people expect from our brand.”

Made with lightly seasoned Panko breadcrumbs and 100% whole, wild-caught Alaska Pollock fillets or tender butterfly shrimp, the products are fried with hot air—not oil—through Gorton’s proprietary process. The Air Fried Fillets are available in a 15.2-oz bag for a suggested retail price of $8.99, while the Air Fried Butterfly Shrimp comes in a 9-oz bag for a suggested retail price of $8.99.

While an air fryer is not required to enjoy these new products, consumers can still use one to prepare their meal. The product packaging features both oven and air fryer instructions, giving the consumer the option to choose whichever cooking method they prefer.

With light, crispy breading and a fresh taste, the new Air Fried products are the perfect protein to incorporate into a wide variety of recipes—from crowd-pleasing appetizers to satisfying meals for the whole family. Whether it’s simply dipping the fillets or shrimp into your favorite condiment or adding them to sandwiches, salads, and tacos, these new Air Fried products offer all the best aspects of breaded seafood without feeling weighed down. For recipes featuring the new products, click here.

ABOUT GORTON’S SEAFOOD

Since 1849, Gorton’s mission has been to help people everywhere enjoy the goodness of great seafood. Headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Gorton’s is one of America’s oldest continuously operating companies, and continues to be the innovative leader in the seafood industry. Gorton’s full line of frozen seafood products spans from Breaded and Battered Fish Sticks and Shrimp, to Grilled Fish, and innovative product lines such as Simply Bake and the new Golden Crusted Fish Fillets. Gorton’s products are available in independent and chain grocery stores nationwide. For more information, visit the Gorton’s website.

This article was originally published in PRNewswire.

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (October, 2022) – Gorton’s Seafood, one of the nation’s leading seafood
producers, is adding an exciting new option to its shrimp portfolio this fall with the introduction of
Southern Style Shrimp. The product launches at select customers this fall, expanding to national
distribution in early 2023. Gorton’s Southern Style Shrimp will be available in a 9.2-oz. box for a
suggested retail price of $6.99.

Made with a new and deliciously crunchy coating that’s packed with a tasty combination of buttermilk,
pepper and southern-inspired herbs and spices, Gorton’s Southern Style Shrimp provides consumers
with a great tasting, more indulgent option that’s perfect for game day snacks, holiday appetizers,
salad toppers, and more.

Tapping into popular consumer taste preferences, Gorton’s Southern Style Shrimp was conceived as
a result of the well-known rise of the ‘Chicken Sandwich Wars.’ In 2019, fast food chains began
launching or refreshing their own versions of southern-inspired fried chicken sandwiches – each one
rivaling the next. Today, the trend continues to expand across a variety of restaurant and grocery
categories, with a flavor consumers know and love.

“As a brand that’s committed to spreading the goodness of the sea, we wanted to bring that
comforting, southern-inspired flavor to the seafood space,” said Chris Hussey, Gorton’s Seafood VP
of Marketing. “With consumers’ desire to incorporate more seafood into their diet and find dependable
mealtime solutions, our Southern Style Shrimp is the ideal product to meet their needs and spice up
their freezer staples.”

Gorton’s new shrimp provides consumers with a tasty, satisfying protein choice that can elevate a
variety of recipes such as tacos, sandwiches, and more for a stress-free meal. Boasting a distinctive
flavor and uniquely irresistible crunch, the Southern Style Shrimp joins Gorton’s shrimp portfolio
alongside the classic Butterfly Shrimp, Beer Batter Shrimp, and Popcorn Shrimp. Since 2020, shrimp
has been the brand’s fastest growing business from a percentage standpoint, with gains in not only
distribution, but also turn velocity as consumers increasingly turn to Gorton’s to cover all of their
prepared seafood needs. The brand is excited to continue to expand this product category and offer
its loyal customers the newest innovation in frozen seafood.

About Gorton’s Seafood

Since 1849, Gorton’s mission has been to help people everywhere enjoy the goodness of great
seafood. Headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Gorton’s is one of America’s oldest
continuously operating companies, and continues to be the innovative leader in the seafood industry.
Gorton’s full line of frozen seafood products spans from Breaded and Battered Fish Sticks and
Shrimp, to Grilled Fish, and innovative product lines such as Simply Bake. Gorton’s products are
available in independent and chain grocery stores nationwide. For more information, visit the Southern Style Shrimp product page.

Antoni Porowski is bringing a piece of his childhood to the dinner table! The beloved Queer Eye star recently partnered with Gorton’s Seafood and was delighted with the chance to elevate a dish he ate all the time as a kid: fish sticks.

“When Gorton’s approached me, I really got excited,” he told Us Weekly exclusively, noting that a childhood babysitter used to make him the frozen food when his parents traveled. “They were a lot smaller back then,” he said of the fish sticks of his youth. “They were literally the size of my pinkie even though I don’t have a big pinkie. I would just dip them in offensive amounts of ketchup.”

Read Antoni’s recipe for Baja Fish Tacos with Gorton’s Beer Battered Fish Fillets.

Now that he’s an adult, Porowski, 35, has ditched the ketchup for something a bit fancier. Case in point: His Italian-inspired take on the childhood classic calls for a flavorful topping that sounds difficult, but is actually very easy to throw together. “I love a puttanesca sauce because the name, at first, to people who are not familiar with it, sounds super intimidating,” he explained. However, the sauce “literally uses condiments that you can find in your pantry, or at least my pantry.”

So what exactly is in this tasty topper? “Things like capers, olives, a can of good tomato sauce, a bit of tomato paste,” Porowski noted. “That’s really all that you need and it’s a very salty, briny sauce.”

In addition to being packed with flavor, the Village Den owner also loves how well the puttanesca sauce complements the crunchy fish sticks. “I think it lends really well,” he said. “My only suggestion is make the sauce separate and then bake the fish sticks so that they stay nice and crunchy, and then serve them alongside.”

If you’re looking to pair your Queer Eye-approved meal with some wine, the Canada native has the perfect suggestion. “Because there’s some chili flakes in the puttanesca, with a bit of spice notes, I think with a Shiraz would be really nice,” he explained.

And even though Porowski knows home cooks are sometimes fearful of making fish, he hopes this recipe helps people realize the food is nothing to be wary of. “People are really intimidated by fish. Often when you buy it, people think you have to use it within a day or two at most,” he said. “I wanted to make recipes that weren’t super intimidating.”

Check out Antoni Porowski’s Baked Crunchy Fish Fillets Puttanesca recipe!

This article was originally published in Us Magazine.

Written by  Samantha Leffler

With reporting by Travis Cronin

Gorton’s and The New England Aquarium work in tandem to transform the fishery industry, positively impacting the health of the ocean and consumers.

Gorton’s Seafood and the New England Aquarium today celebrated a 10-year partnership of bringing sustainable seafood to consumers. Due to its close partnership with the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Gorton’s can proudly claim 100% of its principal products are certified sustainable or in full assessment for certification.

A focus of the partnership has been on increasing the number of fisheries and farms that are environmentally certified by a third party. Environmental certification provides assurance that these fish are caught or farmed in ways that protect the long-term supply of seafood and minimize impact on ecosystems.

Team members from Gorton’s Seafood and the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life celebrate 10 years of partnership. L to R: Greg Jeffers of Gorton’s; Jennifer Couture of the Anderson Cabot Center; Don Lynch and Lisa Webb of Gorton’s; Joel Southall and Michelle Cho of the Anderson Cabot Center; Vikki Spruill, CEO of the New England Aquarium; Judson Reis, President and CEO of Gorton’s; Stu Hudson of Gorton’s; Matt Thompson and John Mandelman of the Anderson Cabot Center.

When the sustainability movement gained traction a decade ago, Gorton’s, America’s most iconic seafood brand, was ahead of the trend in its quest to understand the science behind health of seafood species and the impact climate change has on the fishing industry.

As Gorton’s sought to understand how best to preserve the health of the ocean through sustainable sourcing and operations – a critical move for the survival of the industry – they established a pioneering partnership with the Aquarium.

The partnership began in 2008 when the Aquarium conducted an assessment of Gorton’s products to evaluate the level of relative environmental sustainability of the species in Gorton’s retail business. In the decade since, and most recently led by the Anderson Cabot Center, the two institutions have worked closely to transform science into action. Today, they celebrated their partnership in a small event at Gorton’s headquarters.

Gorton’s and the Aquarium have a shared commitment to sustainability practices, working collaboratively to conserve our ocean and provide healthy, life-sustaining food to consumers. The Anderson Cabot Center uses pioneering conservation research to improve ocean health.

With the guidance of the Center’s scientists and researchers, and with its continuously improving sustainability practices, Gorton’s is using its clout as an industry leader to affect change all along the supply chain. One major component of this effort is the development of a traceability program. Working with the Anderson Cabot Center, Gorton’s created a seafood traceability program that allows for collection and management of relevant fishery and supply information to ensure the fish is certified as sustainable, as well as traceable to the source.

“This partnership is among the first examples of a big brand really focusing on sustainability,” said New England Aquarium CEO Vikki Spruill. “It’s unique in that it combines our scientific expertise from a nonprofit perspective with a long-operating seafood company. This has led to an impressive utilization of science and scale to make a real impact on an industry that’s critical to both feeding the growing population and helping maintain healthy oceans.”

Gorton’s and the Anderson Cabot Center have aided numerous fisheries and farms to employ sustainable practices to achieve environmental certification, which not only lifts the entire industry to a higher standard, but also ensures the survival of an industry as old as time.

“At Gorton’s, we can only achieve our mission – to help consumers lead healthier lives by eating more seafood – if the oceans and seafood species remain healthy,” said Judson Reis, President and CEO at Gorton’s. “Working with the Anderson Cabot Center has given us the scientific backing to drive change to that end. Together we’re getting more fisheries and farms certified, which means healthier oceans, healthier fish populations, and healthier protein options for consumers.”

This partnership will remain at the forefront of advancing sustainability practices as Gorton’s and the Anderson Cabot Center continue to chart the course of continual improvement in 2019 and beyond. For example, Gorton’s is applying its success with seafood certification to drive advancements in wild caught shrimp and pollock from the western Bering Sea. As Gorton’s looks to diversify its seafood portfolio and continue to better protect the world’s seafood resources, Gorton’s and the Anderson Cabot Center will continue setting and achieving new goals that further our understanding of climate change impacts and create new strategies to further sustainability.

About the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center

Building on the Aquarium’s 50-year legacy of protecting the blue planet and advocating for vital and vibrant oceans, the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life leads the way in cutting-edge applied marine research and data-driven conservation, offering practical solutions to mitigate human impacts on our ocean.

About Gorton’s Seafood

Since 1849, Gorton’s mission has been to help people everywhere enjoy the goodness of great seafood. Headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Gorton’s is one of America’s oldest continuously operating companies, and continues to be the innovation leader in the frozen seafood industry. Gorton’s proudly stands behind the promise that consumers can “Trust the Gorton’s Fisherman” for the best-tasting, highest-quality and most convenient seafood.

This article was originally published on PR NewsWire.

Since 1849, Gloucester Massachusetts has been the home to a company that is today known as Gorton’s. At one time they were vertically integrated with their own fleet of fishing schooners, maintenance infrastructure, storage facilities and sales staff – an island unto itself in one of the most storied fishing ports in history.

Their fleet is gone, and so is the local fish, but Gorton’s has remained strong and is still a major employer here in Gloucester. Anyone who lives near downtown knows that familiar smell of frying fish wafting from their historic dockside plant. Millions of customers nationwide still “trust the Gorton’s Fisherman” for their array of seafood products, which has expanded beyond their standard fish sticks.

Here in the home port however, I’m not sure sales are all that high. However when new products are announced many of us in town go to try them out. Not too long ago Gorton’s brought back an old favorite: haddock. Both in fish sticks and in larger breaded fillet portions.

Gorton’s has always prided itself on sourcing fish from healthy stocks, but they have recently gone the certified route. The company has gone to great expense for a sustainable “eco-label” on their products.

I’ve tried these haddock fillets when they first came out. My father, like many former commercial fishermen, works for Gorton’s and the company allows employees to purchase new or special products at cost. Back then I didn’t have the website yet so I decided to take another look, especially now with the box sporting an eco-label. So what do you think…should this “Glosta” boy still trust the Gorton’s Fisherman?

The Gorton’s Haddock Packaging

It’s hard to miss the Gorton’s products in a frozen food section. Most of their products are bright yellow – just like the unsullied oilskins of Gorton’s Fisherman. Their new eco-label is located on the back of the box.

The Gorton’s Haddock Product

If you are familiar with fish sticks – or fish fingers depending where you are from – then think of these portions are larger fish sticks with a higher fish to breading ratio. A box contains a little over 14 ounces which is about 4-5 thin breaded fillets.

Preparing Gorton’s Haddock

I just followed what the box told me to do: 12 minutes per side at 425F or until golden brown. When finished some of the fillets stuck to the foil on my baking sheet, this has happened to me with several Gorton’s products, but in this case I was able to remove the fillets without damage. Cutting into a piece shows that it is not minced but actual whole fish as I was expecting.

The Verdict on Gorton’s Haddock Fillets

This article was originally published by buyingseafood

Gorton’s Seafood Makes Meal Time Less Stressful

Forget moving into a new home or starting a new job. American parents are stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of day-to-day stress — which often starts and ends with pancakes, according to a new study.

The most stressful times of the day for moms and dads, according to the survey of 2,000 people across the country, are breakfast time and dinnertime.

Over 40 percent of parents say that serving food that everyone likes and they feel good about serving is the biggest meal-time challenge and more than a third say it’s coming up with quick recipes for dinner and encouraging their children to eat what is put in front of them.

It’s enough to make you throw in the towel – and over 50 percent say they cut corners by feeding their families left-overs, while one in three confess that they end up serving breakfast meals at dinnertime.

Most parents say they are leaning towards being “health conscious,” but they often struggle with finding healthy recipes that are convenient.

“Mealtime shouldn’t be a stressful time as it is the time you gather together and share with your loved ones,” said Gavin Kennedy, a spokes man for Gorton’s Seafood, which commissioned the study and just launched its new Smart & Crunchy fish sticks. “There’s no reason why convenient food can’t be easy and healthy.”

The good news is that parents today, especially dads, are more involved with their children than their parents used to be. Four out of five parents say they are more involved with their children than their father was with them.

Overwhelmingly 85 percent say they spend more quality time with their children at home. Three out of five say they read to their children regularly and parents spend more than an hour a day driving their children to sports and other activities.

One in three parents admit they cut corners and save time by ordering out, while one in five pop frozen food into the microwave. Unfortunately most respondents say their daily stress takes a mental and physical toll. Three out of five feel frustrated and more than half are tired and exhausted.

”Before I became a parent, it never occurred to me that mealtime could be such a major source of stress,” says Susan McLean, a mom of three, author and blogger at divinesecretsofadomesticdiva.com.

“I always envisioned dinners as a time for the family to gather and enjoy a meal that I thoughtfully prepared, but that’s almost never the case.

”In my housegold, with three young children, often dinner results in tantrums or tears — and I’m talking about me, not the kids. Coaxing picky eaters to ear well- balanced meals isn’t as easy as some might think.”

Gorton’s spokesman Gavin Kennedy adds: “Our goal is to provide solutions that are both kid- and parent-approved, and that help reduce the stress of mealtime.

“We know that there are a lot of demands on parents today. That’s why we decided to explore these pressures and why we’ve worked so hard to offer mealtime options like Smart & Crunchy Fish Sticks, which solve the challenge of finding something that kids will enjoy eating and that moms and dads will feel good about serving.”

Almost half of parents say they are always looking for ways to simplify their lives. Among their top tips for alleviating the stress of mealtime are planning a menu at the beginning of the week, keeping the refrigerator stocked with healthy options and preparing everything ahead of time.

“Dads are a much bigger part of the tough, but extremely fulfilling, process of parenting these days,” said Andy Herald, a father of three and writer at howtobeadad.com.

“But being more involved definitely means being more stressed. To make it through the 24/7, full-contact sport of parenting, you just have to be able to laugh about it. It’s like a release valve. Sometimes the laughs are a little sobby, sure, but it’s important to keep a sense of humor about it all.”

Not surprisingly, more than half of those surveyed said more money and rest would help alleviate the stress. But until that happens, most say they just grin and bear it.

Parents’ 10 most popular tips for making mealtime easy

1. Plan a menu at the beginning of the week 43.3%
2. Keep the refrigerator/freezer stocked with healthy options 41.9%
3. Prepare everything ahead of time 40.8%
4. Ask kids what they want to eat ahead of time 34.2%
5. Keep a mental list of “go to” products for a quick meal on the go 26.1%
6. Wash and cut up fruit in individual containers 17.9%
7. Turn leftover stew and pasta into a comfort meal 17.5%
8. Bake a casserole in two dishes to create two meals out of one 17.3%
9. Cut foods into bite sized pieces for the kids to eat 16.5%
10. Order out 15.4%

Top 10 things parents do to alleviate daily stress

1. Grin and bear it 53.6%
2. Go on the Internet 35.7%
3. Have a cup of tea/coffee 34.7%
4. Prepare for everything ahead of time…lunches, dinner, etc 27.4%
5. Create shortcuts to make things easier 26%
6. Delegate household jobs to partner/spouse 20.7%
7. Go for a walk 20%
8. Find time to exercise 18.3%
9. Call friends/family to complain 13.1%
10. Find time during the day to read a book 12.1%

​The Stressful Lives Of Parents

Gorton’s Offers “Real Solutions” with New Artisan Fillets Line and Sweepstakes; $2,500 Grand Prize Offered in New Sweepstakes Opportunity.