The Global Food Alaska convention and trade show June 13-14 at the Soldotna Sports Center triggered a chain reaction of networking. The event brought together folks like Keith Harris of Whole Foods, Chuck Bundrant of Trident Seafoods, Jonathan White of Silverhook Coffee, Bernie Karl of the Chena Hot Springs Resort and Bruce Bustamante of Princess Tours.

By the time the display booths were coming down June 14, Fred West of Eagle Rock's Taste of Alaska said he had three major contracts pending, including one for national distribution, one for North Slope distribution, and a third with the Alaska Marine Highway System. West said interest in his firm's versatile salmon sausage was keyed on the lack of preservatives and use of organic spices.

West, who ran the Tustamena Smokehouse in Soldotna back in the 1990s, said they teamed up with a marketing and sales firm in Marbury, Ala., and did some research and development with the original recipe, after testing it in several organic groceries.

“It allows salmon to be used for every meal of the day,” said West as he served up samples of salmon chili. “You can bake it, fry it or grill it, just like fish. Kids love it and it's a healthy alternative.”

The Alaska Chip Co. was talking with the state's ferry system about putting packages of its popular chips, made from Alaska-grown potatoes, on the ferries. Owner Ralph Carney was also talking with Princess Tours about putting the chips in to-go lunches for visitors out for the day on excursions.

Andrew Trujillo of Ed's Kasilof Seafoods said he talked with Whole Foods, which expressed interest in their product.

Silverhook's affable Jonathan White, a popular Alaska personality since his days as an Anchorage television anchorman, was singing the praises of his company's coffee, which his employees were serving up black, as lattes and mochas to participants in the conference. Silverhook is a subsidiary of Kaladi Brothers. White said he felt it was important to be a participant in this first conference of the Global Food Collaborative, to make new contacts and reconnect with old ones.

When he learned what passionate coffee drinkers they were, White quickly offered pump-pots full of steaming Silverhook to six popular crab boat captains who were featured on the Discovery Channel's “Deadliest Catch” series. The captains were there to talk about the crab industry and to autograph T-shirts.

Arni Thomson, executive director of the Alaska Crab Coalition checks out a display of Bering Sea red king crab. PHOTO/Margaret Bauman /AJOC

“We'll have it on the Sea Star to serve to customers and to promote it as an Alaskan product,” said crab captain Larry Hendricks.

Success beyond expectations

For Robin Richardson, manager of Global Food Collaborative LLC, who organized the event, it was a success beyond her wildest dreams.

“My expectations are always very high, but this was better,” said Richardson, whose efforts drew accolades from virtually everyone who participated.

“The contracts are outstanding, but it's more the enlightenment that there is a huge talent base in this state,” she said. “They recognize when they come together how powerful they are. They have powerful challenges and powerful opportunities, from the largest to the smallest (entrepreneur).”

Richardson said she spent hours talking with folks like Mark Palmer, Tom Sunderlund and Robin Samuelsen of Ocean Beauty Seafoods about their objectives in meeting buyers. “They were intrigued enough to be part of (the conference),” she said. Richardson said the event also won her praise from Trident's Chuck Bundrant, who was honored with a Recognition of Achievement Award for manufacturers and processors at a gourmet sampling dinner the first evening of the event.

Others recognized with achievement awards were Bruce Gore of Triad Fisheries, with the growers/harvesters award; and Rob Baer and Mark Witteveen of Alaska Spirit LLC, for market development.

Alaska Quality Seafood separately recognized Jack Gadwill, general manager for Kwik Pak, with an award for best practices and innovation.

“Everybody wants to be part of the dialogue to make things better,” Richardson said. “What surprised me was the people who came forward early and wanted to see this happen, including the National Seafood Inspection Program, and Alaska Journal of Commerce publisher Jeff Jones. They really took a risk.”

Fred West of Eagle Rock's Taste of Alaska stirs a pot of salmon chili using the firm's salmon sausage. PHOTO/Margaret Bauman/AJOC

“They think strategically and that's what we're thinking about, long-term solutions,” she said.

Whole Foods purchasing team leader Keith Harris said his company was already buying huge amounts of wild Alaska salmon, halibut and crab. The company's new Alaska fish buyer, Sylvia Beaudoin, a Soldotna resident, joined Harris at the conference. “This gives me an opportunity to network with individuals and let them know what we are looking for,” said Harris, who lives in Seattle.

Sandro Lane, who founded and later sold the successful Taku Fisheries in Juneau, Brett Gibson of Arctic Paws, Adam Galindo of Taco Loco, Mary Serrano of Alaska Glacier Cap and Phyllis Buzzini of Alaska Silk Pies also had booths at the trade show. All five were featured in a panel discussion on barriers to doing business with Alaska's food, beverage and bio products, and how they met those challenges.

Whole Foods' Harris, SOJO Foods' Joseph Ertman and KS Kim, the state of Alaska trade representative for South Korea, addressed the conference on the buyers' perspective, as did Rep. Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, owner of Pike's Riverfront Lodge, and Rob Kinneen, an executive chef and former owner of Noble's Diner in Anchorage.

“I'm an ardent believer in hospitality and what it's done for the state of Alaska,” Ramras said. “Many of the products we are seeing at this forum are talking about Alaska as a brand.

“We have 1 million people a year coming in on cruise ships; one day it's going to be not 1 (million), but 2 million people seeing the Inside Passage each year.”

Ramras urged the conference to take advantage of the millions of opportunities each summer to present Alaska foods to visitors, as part of a whole Alaska experience.

“There is a great desire to connect Alaska-grown, Alaska-enhanced, with the visitor experience,” he said.

In his Fairbanks hotel, he would love to use North Pole coffees, but they don't have the right packaging for in-room service, he said.

At the Soldotna conference, he learned from Silverhook's White that they can provide just want he needs, Ramras said. “But it took us eight years to connect with each other.