Hannaford has partnered with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association on a Monkfish Stew that incorporates sustainable fish and locally sourced ingredients.
Proceeds from sales of the stew will be used to support the local fishing economy and facilitate local hunger relief efforts. The dish is now available at Hannaford locations throughout southern Maine, with plans to expand its reach underway.
The monkfish used in the stew is cut by Free Range Fish, a fishmonger in Portland, Maine, and is cooked and packaged by Hurricane’s Premium Soups and Chowders in Greene, Maine.
“Hannaford is excited to introduce this locally sourced and prepared stew to our customers this summer,” said Hannaford’s seafood category manager Nathan Jewell, in a statement. “In addition to featuring fresh, sustainably harvested monkfish caught right here on the Maine coast, the stew includes local products such as Maine potatoes, carrots, cream, and lobster stock. Offering locally sourced, sustainable products is a win-win for the Maine economy and our shoppers. We encourage customers who have not yet discovered monkfish to try this new stew while knowing their purchase supports both our local fishermen and community members in need.”
The stew is an extension of the Fishermen’s Association’s Fishermen Feeding Mainers Program which sought to combat food insecurity in local Maine communities during the height of the pandemic.
“Introducing Maine Coast Monkfish Stew to a retail market allows us to create a revenue stream back to the Fishermen Feeding Mainers Program,” said executive director Ben Martens, in a statement. “Additionally, the stew is a way for us to introduce consumers to a local and sustainably sourced seafood choice largely unfamiliar to them and to support Maine’s fishermen.”
Since its inception, the program has provided over 400,000 meals to many Maine-based food banks.
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Image: Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association