Is Copper River over hyped? Is it really all marketing?
I am asked this question a lot.
I don't blame people. Copper River salmon in typically more expensive than other salmon, and people want to know if it's worth the hype before they spend the extra money on it.
First off, yes, Copper River salmon are special.
- It's the first wild salmon to run in the spring
- It has the highest fat content. The higher omega-3 content makes it tastier and healthier.
- It's a slower-paced run that is revered by the fishermen, so every fish is handled with care and chilled quickly.
In the early 1980s, the Copper River fishing community knew their local salmon was superior to other wild Alaskan salmon.
However, it was a challenge to get the word out.
Cordova is a tiny fishing town with no roads out. You can still only get there by boat or plane. Back then, due to transportation issues, most of the salmon was canned (like a lot of Alaskan salmon at the time).
The first challenge was to convince the processors to stop canning this amazing salmon and to sell it as premium frozen fillets so people could actually taste the difference.
The next hurdle was getting the word out. Local fisherman and marketer John Rowley was a visionary in the Copper River industry. He knew Copper River was special, and began sending fillets to chefs in Seattle.
These chefs recognized the difference in quality, taste, texture, and color right away. The chefs began requesting Copper River salmon specifically and telling the story of this special fish to their guests.
When people taste Copper River salmon for the first time, they remember it.
Word got out, and the rest is history.
So yes, Copper River has been expertly marketed to chefs, but it only became popular because the flavor spoke for itself.
Copper River salmon is now known as the finest salmon on the planet.
If you know, you know. If you don't know...you should try it!
