USDA sets record for purchasing narrow-barred sole products; three processors receive orders worth $84.2 million

This procurement stems from a record-breaking tender issued by the USDA in August, totaling approximately 43.2 million pounds (about 19,500 tons) of frozen Alaska pollock products, including fish fillets, fish blocks, and fish sticks, all to be delivered to the U.S. domestic food assistance supply chain. This scale not only sets a new record for USDA's procurement of pollock but also highlights the significant role of pollock in the U.S. public food system. In the specific allocation, Channel Fish, headquartered in Massachusetts, emerged as the largest winner, securing a contract worth nearly $35.2 million (approximately €30.2 million) to supply about 14 million pounds of frozen pollock products, including fish sticks, fish fillets, and fish blocks. High Liner Foods, a Canadian seafood giant, received an order of about $34.3 million (approximately €29.4 million) to provide approximately 15.1 million pounds of pollock blocks and fish sticks for nationwide food assistance programs. ...