Greetings from the Florida Keys ,
This Halloween, be on the look out for Asian Catfish trick or treating as “Key West Grouper” on a menu near you.
Asian Catfish Commonly Mislabeled As Grouper
Greedy fish brokers, looking to make easy money are disguising this $2.00-$3.00 lb. Asian catfish as $10.00-12.00 lb . Florida Grouper and then selling it to unsuspecting restaurants and food service companies across the country.
Florida
Just recently Tom Katz president of Universal Fish of Boston in Billerica , MA
“Why was the grouper they received from Katz rubbery and pink, rather than the typical firm, white fish?
Florida
Before I go on any further, according to manta.com Katz’s company estimated annual revenue is $5 to 10 million.
According to a recent article in the Boston Globe, Katz worked on the scheme for months by cultivating a relationship with the popular restaurant chain. He was close to closing in on a grouper deal worth more than $3 million which would make Friday’s one of his top customers. Bad fish would kill it.
When one Friday’s executive e-mailed the unthinkable - perhaps the fish was not grouper at all. Katz offered a string of excuses: Cold water could have turned it pink; maybe it was the fish feed; perhaps the grouper bled internally.
Persuaded by the affable salesman’s pitch, the chain featured Katz’s fish at more than 500 of it’s' restaurants, serving it with roasted vegetables and a citrus splash.
But the Friday’s executive was right. It wasn’t grouper. Customers were actually eating an inexpensive, lower-quality Vietnamese catfish reared in thickly packedMekong River
My advice, know your seafood and buy from a reputable source. Learn more about spotting fake grouper at http://www.fl-seafood.com/consumers/grouper_substitution.htm.
Have a good Friday!
Ryan
This Halloween, be on the look out for Asian Catfish trick or treating as “Key West Grouper” on a menu near you.
Photo by FL-Seafood.com
Greedy fish brokers, looking to make easy money are disguising this $2.00-$3.00 lb. Asian catfish as $10.00-
Photo by Fl-Seaood.com
“Why was the grouper they received from Katz rubbery and pink, rather than the typical firm, white fish?
Before I go on any further, according to manta.com Katz’s company estimated annual revenue is $5 to 10 million.
According to a recent article in the Boston Globe, Katz worked on the scheme for months by cultivating a relationship with the popular restaurant chain. He was close to closing in on a grouper deal worth more than $3 million which would make Friday’s one of his top customers. Bad fish would kill it.
When one Friday’s executive e-mailed the unthinkable - perhaps the fish was not grouper at all. Katz offered a string of excuses: Cold water could have turned it pink; maybe it was the fish feed; perhaps the grouper bled internally.
Persuaded by the affable salesman’s pitch, the chain featured Katz’s fish at more than 500 of it’s' restaurants, serving it with roasted vegetables and a citrus splash.
But the Friday’s executive was right. It wasn’t grouper. Customers were actually eating an inexpensive, lower-quality Vietnamese catfish reared in thickly packed
My advice, know your seafood and buy from a reputable source. Learn more about spotting fake grouper at http://www.fl-seafood.com/consumers/grouper_substitution.htm.
Have a good Friday!
Ryan
1 comment:
Interesting article....
Post a Comment