As a result of COVID-19, Triar Seafood introduced a new business model: marketing its high quality, fresh seafood direct to consumers.
Triar Seafood is a well-known and well-respected company within the culinary arena. For over 20 years, Triar has been the discerning chefs’ source for the highest quality, responsibly harvested seafood, delivered fresh overnight with consistency and peace of mind. The company is passionate about great seafood and guarantees every purchase. They also support the club and resort segment as a sponsor of the annual Chef to Chef Conference.
But as COVID-19 has changed the foodservice landscape, Triar Seafood has had to introduce a new business model almost overnight: marketing its high quality, fresh seafood direct to consumers and specifically club memberships.
Peter Jarvis, President, CEO & Chief Fishmonger, tells Tom Birmingham, CEC, Director of the Club + Resort Chef Association, about the idea to reinvent his company in a fast-changing world.
“Knowing that many clubs had shifted their model from full-service operations to curb side pick-ups and grocery programs, we decided to shift our focus in a way that better serves our customers’ customers,” says Jarvis, who then launched Peter’s Florida Seafood.
The concept is simple and timely. Peter’s Florida Seafood offers the freshest seafood to the home chef, delivered from dock-to-door within a day of its source. Club chefs can market this new offering to members and in return Peter’s Florida Seafood will provide the club with a 10% rebate for every purchase to ensure that the club is kept whole during the pandemic.
“We’re now a retail market for serious seafood lovers,” says Jarvis. “Now members can order overnight direct delivery to their homes instead of searching for seafood in local markets that may have taken many days to ship from sea to store.”
As it turns out, many of Triar’s longterm club accounts appreciate this new offering.
“I have been working with Triar for almost 15 years now,” says Geoff Wedwaldt, Executive Chef of Findlay (Ohio) Country Club. “I am 40 years into my career and Triar does the best job at networking fresh seafood than anybody I have ever worked with.
“The product is consistently fresh and delivered to my door next day,” continues Wedwaldt. “The company is very knowledgeable about their products and are responsible stewards of sustainability. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our operation was closed for the month of April and our members dining choices were limited. Triar launched a platform that enabled my members to source fresh seafood and have it delivered to their home.”
The opportunity to have fresh seafood delivered dock-to-door through Triar allowed Findlay CC’s members to experience the same quality of seafood they are accustomed to getting at the club. And all of the members who took advantage of this program were extremely happy with the quality, reports Wedwaldt.
“This is a program that will continue as an asset to club membership,” he says.
Wes Robbins, Executive Chef of Champaign (Ill.) Country Club concurs.
“I’ve been doing business with Triar since 2000 and they have yet to provide me with any product that is less than pristine,” says Robbins. “When COVID-19 hit, many of our members were looking for ways to get great fresh seafood delivered to their homes. Peter’s Florida Seafood was a perfect fit to recommend.”
Champaign CC’s members were extremely happy with the service as Robbins knew they would be.
“To be able to get this quality of product is something special,” he says. “Even as we opened back up and start to move toward a more ‘normal’ type of operation here at our club, our members continue to enjoy the service. There is no other seafood company I would have as much confidence in as Triar.”
