Seattle sources report unusually high quality for Bristol Bay fish Multiples to offer red talls at pre-Christmas £1.99 At least two major supermarkets are going to feature red talls (418g) this Christmas according to trade sources. The expected ticket is £1.99, down by 70p from recent shelf prices and an interesting switch from the popular 213g. In past times, red talls were a favoured pre-Christmas offer but over the last couple of seasons restricted availability precluded the £1.99 price ticket. From a consumer perspective this size offers a family meal opportunity during the festive period, when a change from poultry is welcomed. From Seattle warehouses where the final quality grading is done come reports of unusually high quality of the Bristol Bay fish. "Very rich in oil" and "deep red in colour" are the main comments, which will be welcome news from private label buyers who in the past have observed the Bay fish as being more "orangey" than deep red, like the Canadian fish. These attributes will be more in evidence in the larger 418g can, according to salmon experts who understand the complicated grading systems. "A vintage year for Bristol Bay" is how one described the Seattle inspection reports. With a drop in demand from frozen reds from Japan, more of the top quality fish is finding its way into the cans. In past seasons all of the 'high grades' went to the frozen market, where premiums are paid. Farmed coho from Chile has taken much of this business where years of investment have resulted in a high quality product of uniformity, rarely found in the wild. {{CANNED GOODS }}

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