ITTA BENA, Miss. – Heartland Catfish Company, the leading producer of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish in the country, will showcase the wide applications of catfish at the 2018 Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Mass. Once considered only for its perfect frying abilities, catfish has flourished from symbolizing Southern comfort food to headlining menus as a high-quality, home-grown protein.
“Our catfish is recognized for its consistent flavor and texture, making it the perfect fish for grilling, baking, sautéing, or frying up for that perfect catfish po’boy,” said Danny Walker, CEO of Heartland Catfish Company. “No matter how you choose to prepare it, Heartland Catfish has the right product to fit your needs.” The Itta Bena, Mississippi, company has been raising, processing, and packaging catfish since the mid-1990s.
At this year’s Seafood Expo, Heartland Catfish Company will also feature its consumer-friendly retail packaging, currently available at retail locations throughout the country. The vacuum skin-packaged catfish products preserve product freshness, maximizing shelf life, enhancing food safety and reducing freezer burn.
Heartland Catfish Company has exhibited at the North American Seafood Expo since 2014, introducing catfish to new consumers, customers, and buyers from the world’s most recognized brands. The Seafood Expo North America is North America’s largest seafood exposition, with more than 1,340 companies from more than 50 countries represented, according to the Seafood Expo website.
“The 2018 Seafood Expo is poised to offer plenty of opportunities to share what Southerners have known for generations – catfish is a uniquely American product adaptable to any cuisine,” Walker said.
The 2018 Seafood Expo North America will take place March 11th through 13th. Key conference topics will include discussions on enhancing traceability and transparency and the importance of integrated regulatory compliance, issues of import for the catfish industry. In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) will begin enforcing import regulations on catfish and other ray-finned fish known as Siluriformes.
These regulations ensure foreign products are held to the same standards as domestically raised and produced catfish. Heartland Catfish Company is a strong supporter of the USDA FSIS inspection program and worked with inspectors to set the updated industry standard. “We believe these additional points of inspection on imported foreign fish raise the bar and increase the safety of America’s food supply,” Walker said.
About Heartland Catfish
Founded in 1995, Heartland Catfish Company has grown into the country’s largest U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish producer and processor, with plants in Itta Bena, Miss., and Greensboro, Ala. Owned by the Tackett Family of Tackett Fish Farms, Heartland Catfish Company is the largest single producer of farm-raised catfish in the United States and sells fresh and frozen catfish products to retailers and restaurants around the country. Follow Heartland Catfish Company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram and visit heartlandcatfish.com to learn more.