Whole Foods Market announced on May 25 that Kvarøy Arctic is the Global Winner of its “Perishables Supplier of the Year” award. The ninth annual competition recognized 42 suppliers selected by buyers, category experts and personnel within the Whole Foods retail chain operation.
“We are deeply grateful for this recognition. In a year that brought so many unusual challenges to our supply chain, this award is even more meaningful. It’s an honor that is shared with our entire team as they worked tirelessly to tackle issues head-on in order to have uninterrupted delivery during a time when transportation and cargo were unpredictable,” said Kvarøy Arctic CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen.
Since its launch in March of 2020, the Indre Kvarøy, Norway-based company has supplied frozen and fresh sustainably-raised Atlantic salmon to Whole Foods Market locations throughout the United States. Last October it introduced a line of cold smoked salmon co-branded with Santa Barbara Smokehouse. Carefully rope hung and smoked using wood chips from the Santa Barbara area, the artisanal technique preserves the delicate taste and tender texture of Kvarøy Arctic fish, resulting in smoked salmon with vegetative notes, natural citrus flavor and a buttery finish on the palate.
“We are driven by a mission to provide the highest quality, sustainably raised salmon and make it accessible to as many people as possible. We value this award, which shows us that one of the nation’s most loved retailers can rely on us to deliver on this promise and that their customers are loving the fish,” said Chris Cumming, Kvarøy Arctic’s vice president of sales.
Kvarøy Arctic is a third-generation Atlantic salmon farm on the Island of Kvarøy, along Norway’s Arctic Circle. Led by CEO Knutsen, Production Manager Gjermund Olsen, and Operations Manager Håvard Olsen, the company is ushering in a new era of sustainability for salmon farming as a net producer of fish protein with a commitment to traceability and transparency through IBM blockchain technology. Its farmed finfish is the first to carry the Fair Trade USA seal, and is BAP-, ASC- and Global GAP-certified.
