The Mumbai, India-based company took home back-to-back top honors in the foodservice category at the 2011 and 2012 Seafood Excellence Awards. In addition, Dish won a special originality award in 2011 at the European Seafood Exposition Prix d’Elite new products competition and an award for convenience in 2010.Most recently, Dish’s Oriental Shrimp Nest won the Seafood Excellence Award in the foodservice category, but this year the company has decided to take a break from competing in the awards, which will be announced today at 3:30 p.m in the Demonstration Theater at the International Boston Seafood Show.
Vikas Seth, Dish’s corporate executive chef, says the company intends to plan out its seafood business strategy for the future.
“Seafood Prix d’Elite and Seafood Excellence recognition has really changed our company perspective towards seafood,” says Seth. “The company is looking at expanding the business very seriously. Even though it takes a huge capital investment, we are looking at moving out from the smaller facility to a bigger facility in due course.”
Dish also includes information regarding the awards when advertising and selling its products.
“[Winning] makes a lot of difference,” says Seth. “In fact,, because of seafood awards, we have gotten very encouraging response on our product development division as well, where in we develop value-added seafood products for other seafood clients internationally.
“The awards give a lot of confidence to the buyer about the product acceptability in the international seafood value-added market.”
Dish’s withdrawal from the contest makes way for new companies to compete. Massachusetts-based The Atlantic Red Crab Co. has entered three products in its first year in the competition. All are locally produced and made with Marine Stewardship Council-certified Atlantic red crab.
COO Bonnie Hardy says the company hopes entering the contest will help connect it with seafood buyers who cater to sustainability-conscious consumers.
“Timing is everything. We recognize that today’s seafood buyer is looking for a full line of seafood items that come from sustainable sources,” says Hardy. “The Atlantic Red Crab Co. is launching a line of traceable and sustainable products that can assist today’s seafood buyer in meeting their customer demands.”
A total of 72 products are entered in this year’s competition.
