It’s the summer of 2021, and I had been officially working at Scout for about a week. The day ended with a collective sense of dejectedness. We were in the process of launching four new products; Smoked Wild Albacore Tuna, Smoked Wild Pink Salmon, and the unsmoked variation of each. The idea behind these products was accessibility, rather than another set of fancy tinned fish products—we were even referring to them as pantry staples.
The problem was that it suddenly became clear that these new products weren’t going to be as accessible as intended.
Co-founders, Adam and Nate had been going back and forth all day, crunching numbers, and eventually had to come to terms with the fact that these products were going to retail at a steep $8-10 per unit. This wasn’t the original plan. Everyone was frustrated.
When I walked into our co-working space the next day, there was a noticeably bright and inspired energy in the air—a stark contrast from how the previous day ended. Adam and Nate were onto something. It turns out that they had been playing around with a product concept all night—a product that combines canned tuna with dried spices and crunchy components, offering a unique textural and flavor experience.
That evening, we made pizzas on my Brooklyn rooftop, grabbed some cans of tuna, and an array of spice blends, and started jamming on some ideas. How would this be packaged? What flavors would be used? What would someone pay for something like this?
Over the next 6 months, ideas started to take form, packaging renders designed, flavors developed by Chef Charlotte, and it seemed like we were on the cusp of something special. We were planning to have prototypes available by March 2022 for Expo West, the largest natural foods tradeshow in Anaheim.
Needless to say, we didn’t get them completed in time and had to reason with the fact that we would need to make our own upon arrival. Without getting into too many details, this became a chaotic adventure of searching for to-go soup containers at restaurant supply stores, fitting the sticker labels we produced to said containers, and then vacuum sealing our crunchy topper flavor profiles, trimming bamboo sporks, and packing the snack kit prototypes, all while hearing children scream on rides at Disneyland. True story.
We got the prototypes in the hands of some buyers. They expressed interest. There was finally a sense of validation. Yet this was just the beginning.
Fast forward one full year and the products are officially here, now known as Scout Seafood Snacks. We have opened the pre-sale for these Seafood Snacks, available in Chile Jalapeño, Za’atar, and Chili Crisp, and we’re gearing up for multiple events, including a New York City launch party and a triumphant return to Expo West 2023.
If you’re in New York tomorrow, I’d love to see you at this launch party. You’ll get a chance to try our Seafood Snacks and it’s a free event!
Thursday, March 2: Seafood Snacks Launch Party, Brooklyn, NY 6:30 pm – FREE
Tinned fish is having its moment of trendiness in the U.S. but its identity remains unclear. For some, tinned fish is a celebration of fanciness. Others view each tin as a protein-rich punch of sustenance, often ignoring the big sticker items and sticking to the more cost-friendly tins.
We’re collectively still prying ourselves from the concept of the nefariously-sourced $1 can of tuna, while also seeking a balance to boujie. We can’t always be fancy. Sometimes you just need some high-quality tinned fish on the go.
PRE-ORDER SCOUT SEAFOOD SNACKS
