Abalobi's new online store broadens access to ethically-sourced seafood

Source: Supplied

Named Fish with a Story, after the company's tagline, the new online store allows home cooks to shop premium local Yellowtail, Cape Bream, Carpenter and other ethically caught filleted fish as well as coastal pantry products including Dune Fig Jam, Bokkom Biltong and Sea-Lettuce Salt.

The Fish with a Story online store takes its place alongside Abalobi’s traditional offering of fresh, whole ‘catch of the day’ fish available for order via the Abalobi Marketplace app.

Iain Campbell from Abalobi says that whilst the brand remains committed to the concept of supplying whole fresh fish via the Abalobi app, supplying deli products on the online store, aims to add an element of convenience to the responsible eating mix.

“For many home cooks, the prospect of filleting and deboning a whole fish can be daunting. In addition, not everyone has the time to monitor our app for fresh ‘catch of the day’ information, and so for those looking to eat responsibly without having to work on their knife skills, the deli range allows us to remain true to our core ethos while minimising wastage and retaining ultimate freshness of our excellent South African seafood,” says Campbell.

All offcuts are also used throughout Abalobi’s multi-channel marketplace.

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QR codes for traceability

Campbell explains that once the products are delivered, consumers can ascertain the source of their seafood by scanning a QR code that accompanies each fish on the label to access who the fisher was, where and when the fish was caught, as well as full pricing transparency - including the exact portion of the purchase that ended up in the fisher’s pocket. A second QR code links directly to a relevant recipe on www.fishwithastory.org.

Delivery of 'Fish with a Story' products is currently only available in the Western Cape, but Campbell says that Abalobi hopes to expand delivery areas in the future. The company is actively exploring retail partnerships across the country, including installing branded freezers, full of Fish With a Story seafood in a number of premium delis. Delivery in the Western Cape is free for orders over R450 and orders are fulfilled within 48 hours.