Food Entrepreneur - February 15, 2022 - 12

A combination
of beans, peas and
lentils mimic a flaky fish
texture in the Good Catch
portfolio of plant-based
products.
GATHERED FOODS
opened plant-based restaurants in several
European cities. He established Gathered
Foods with his brother and fellow chef,
Derek, and impact investor Chris Kerr.
" The commercial fishing industry is
quite destructive, and we wanted to offer a
solution to keep fish in our oceans and off
of our plates, " Mr. Sarno said.
Over the past three years, Gathered
Foods has expanded the Good Catch
portfolio to include frozen entrees and
appetizers, spanning plant-based alternatives
to crab cakes, whitefish burgers,
breaded fish fillets and fish sticks. The
newest addition, salmon-style burgers,
are flavored with lemon, shallot, orange
and garlic. All products rely on the same
plant protein blend.
" We've checked all our boxes with
what we wanted to launch since early
investment, " Mr. Sarno said. " We wanted
to launch the most consumed seafood
out there ... whitefish, tuna, salmon, crab
and shrimp. We've launched four of those
already. "
To date, Gathered Foods has raised
more than $70 million to support new
product development, production and
distribution in North America, Europe and
Asia, netting a number of celebrity backers,
including Woody Harrelson, Shailene
Woodley, Paris Hilton and Lance Bass. The
company operates a production facility in
Heath, Ohio, and has a distribution deal
with The Bumble Bee Seafood Co.
Good Catch products are sold
in more than 6,000 retail locations
nationwide, including Whole Foods
Market and Kroger stores. Several
restaurants offer the brand's items,
too. The company partnered with
Long John Silver's last summer to offer
its fish-free fillets and breaded crab-free
cakes in select markets.
Sales of seafood alternatives in the
United States grew 23% to $12 million in
2020, according to the Good Food Institute.
The burgeoning segment represents
a small fraction of total plant-based food
sales, which reached $7 billion in 2020.
" What inspired us to launch Good
Catch was really the whitespace, " Mr.
Sarno said. " Globally, we consume a few
dozen land animals, but we consume
over 200 to 300 species from the ocean.
Looking at what we're doing from an innovation
standpoint, it opens up so much
opportunity. " FBN
48
Food Business News
February 15, 2022
Food Entrepreneur - February 15, 2022

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