Wholesalers and Distributors of Fresh Fish

Get the freshest catch from fresh fish wholesalers and fish distributors
By Kristen McClung Fish is growing in popularity. In fact, fish consumption in the U.S. increased 35% in the past 20 years. While many people purchase seafood from local fish companies for home preparation, the most popular place Americans enjoy fish is at fine dining establishments.

Fish and seafood restaurants are widespread in coastal areas, but with advances in shipping technology, even restaurants in landlocked locations now can serve quality fresh fish from seafood wholesalers.

When selecting fresh fish distributors for your restaurant:

1. Look for fresh fish selections caught locally by fish companies.
2. Check out the packaging process to ensure your fish maintain freshness.
3. Ask about shipping options that will keep fish cold and fresh.

Look for fish wholesalers that offer local fresh fish selections

Fish distributors can find fish from anywhere in the world for your restaurant, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is fresh fish. To ensure you purchase the freshest fish available, seek out fish wholesalers that sell local fish. You wouldn't purchase Maine lobster tails from the Gulf Coast, so don't purchase fresh fish that isn't native to a fish distributor's geographic area.
Try:  If you are looking for fresh fish from a particular geographic region, check out fish wholesalers around the world at eFreshPortal.com.  Charleston Seafood is a fish distributor that offers more than 30 fish varieties, most from Charleston’s ocean waters. For the freshest Alaskan salmon choose Norquest, a fish wholesaler that specializes in wild Pacific salmon. For Gulf Coast catches like mahi mahi and grouper, contact Islamorda Fish Company, a fish distributor based in the Florida Keys.  

Look for fresh fish distributors that package seafood to maintain optimal freshness

Fresh fish packaging is important for the overall product's freshness. Most fresh fish distributors and seafood wholesalers explain their packaging process online. If they don't, contact them directly to ask how fresh fish are packaged.
Try:  Charleston Seafood fillets your fish fresh right before shipping, and then vacuum seals the products. The distributor of fish also labels the items with a packing date, which is useful if you plan to freeze your seafood when it arrives. Islamorda Fish Company custom packs each order with reusable frozen gel packs and cooler. Cannon Fish seafood wholesalers offer three packaging options to meet your specific needs: vacuum packed, layer packed for high volume orders or bulk individually quick frozen packaging.

Look for seafood wholesalers that offer shipping options to keep fish cold and fresh

The maximum holding time for fresh fish is 5 days, so ask fish wholesalers about the fastest shipping options. Fresh fish should arrive from fish companies cold to maintain freshness.
Try:  Great Alaska Seafood provides free shipping in the continental U.S. with orders totaling at least 8 pounds. The distributors of fresh and frozen seafood ship using FedEx Priority Overnight service. Fresh fish are shipped in insulated boxes packed with dry ice or gel ice. Islamorda Fish Company ships all orders for overnight delivery. The wholesale fish distributors company has a 1:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) ordering deadline for next day delivery, so place your order early in the day.

• Add some variety to your seafood menu. Many seafood wholesalers offer free recipes online.