Commitment to Quality
We’re dedicated to providing high-quality, delicious products for you and your family.
We’re dedicated to providing high-quality, delicious products for you and your family.
From shipping methods that preserve freshness to proper handling in stores, we take steps to ensure high quality throughout the supply chain.
Most farm-raised salmon are pre-filleted—cut into either skin-on or skinless sides of salmon—before entering the United States. This method of “process first, then ship” helps save on freight costs, but ultimately impacts the quality and freshness. Like an apple, the minute you slice into it, its precious freshness decreases much more rapidly than it would have had it stayed whole.
We do things differently. Once harvested, our fish are immediately gutted (to remove unwanted bacteria and digestive enzymes) then shipped out whole. This method of shipping is costlier, but the best way to preserve the freshness and integrity of the fish. Our local partner processors (based in Rochester, NY and Elkridge, MD) then cut into the salmon just hours before it arrives in our stores, where it is then further processed into various types of cuts by our trained fishmongers.
When it comes to overall quality, proper handling is equally as important as preserving the freshness of the fish—and the two often go hand in hand. We have zero tolerance for any process that results in the breaking of a temperature-controlled supply chain. We also have special instructions on how our fish is physically handled and use special methods to limit undesirables such as discoloration, gaping, and scales.
We do all of this because we believe it results in a higher quality product for you and your family.
Our fresh, wild-caught salmon is sourced from the pristine glacial waters of Alaska.
Greg Favretto and his family-run company, Favco, have been a Wegmans partner since 1996, sharing our same commitment to sustainable seafood. Greg works exclusively with small family-owned dayboats that catch and bring back daily harvests. “When this wild-caught fresh salmon comes to us, it’s only been out of the pure Alaskan waters for 24-48 hours,” says Greg, a San Francisco-area Vietnam veteran who founded Favco in 1974 after falling in love with Alaska’s breathtaking beauty. Favco still does things the old-fashioned way—hand-cutting, hand-filleting, and hand-packing each fish they sell. They do not have a single piece of machinery in the facility. This provides an extra level of attention to detail and care in the processing. The quality is extremely high as their cutters are handling each fillet before it arrives to us.
“We ship non-stop direct to individual Wegmans stores. When the seafood manager opens the box, there’s Alaskan air in there!”
“WORKING A SMALL FISHING BOAT in Alaska gives you a different perspective—it’s more about appreciating and maintaining a beautiful resource than just selling fish,” says Greg. “We think of ourselves as stewards of the sea. We want to maintain the perfection nature creates.” His Anchorage-based business has grown, but he still relies on multigenerational dayboat fishers who’ve partnered with Favco for decades. They sustainably harvest Sockeye, King, and Coho Salmon from some of the world’s purest waters along Alaska’s Beluga Point and Fire Island sites near Cook Inlet.
The salmon have journeyed 100+ miles upstream to spawn; hatchlings go from river pools to the ocean, where they grow for 2-5 years, depending on the species. Favco’s fishers use shore-anchored set nets to carefully hand-harvest their catch into small 20′ open skiffs. After fishing for 6-24 hours, they return to port and the day’s catch is transferred to Anchorage. There it’s hand-cut and filleted (including removing 25+ pin-bones by hand), packed and shipped the next day. “If a catch is off-loaded on Wednesday, it’s at Wegmans early afternoon that Friday,” says Karl Gustafson, Greg’s righthand man. “We ship non-stop direct to individual Wegmans stores. When the seafood manager opens the box, there’s Alaskan air in there!”
Starting in mid-May, the Copper River area of Alaska is the official opener of the wild Alaskan Season. Copper River Sockeye and King Salmon are the only fish caught for the first two weeks, until other areas are opened to fishing by Alaskan Fish and Game. After Copper River and running until June 1, most of the fish are caught in Prince William Sound.
On June 1st the Cook Inlet area opens and the catch of Sockeye and King Salmon increases dramatically, as more salmon start making their way toward the rivers of Alaska. Soon after, Bristol Bay opens and runs through July.
In August, Coho salmon begin to make their way back to Alaska; the main catch area is the Upper Cook Inlet. King Salmon season ends and the Sockeye Salmon season slows down.
Also known in Alaska as Chinook Salmon. Highest of all Alaskan Salmon in Omega-3 content, extremely succulent and delicate texture with rich flavor.
Also known as Red Salmon in Alaska. Firmest flesh of all Alaskan Salmon, much leaner than King or Coho – with a full, rounded flavor.
Also known as Silver Salmon in Alaska. Similar texture to King Salmon, very high in Omega-3s, with a milder delicate flavor.
Salmon’s versatility and mild flavor make it the star of many delicious dishes.
