How SMASH it! Foods is Catering to the ‘Modern’ Seafood Consumer

For Monica Talbert, co-founder and CEO of The Plant Based Seafood Co., the future of food isn’t plant versus animal; it’s a balance of the two centered around sustainability. Catering to what she calls the “modern” seafood consumer, Talbert is debuting a new brand under the company’s umbrella this month: SMASH it! Foods.

As its name suggests, SMASH it! aims to offer a better-for-you, seafood-forward take on the smash burger craze. The brand’s Salmon Superfood Balls feature wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon “from one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world,” mixed with superfoods like quinoa, kale and flax and coated in veggie crumbs.

Available in two varieties at launch – Cranslam (cranberry, feta, rosemary) and Cococurry (coconut, curry, hot honey) – each serving delivers 18 to 20 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 500mg of omega-3 fatty acids. The gluten-free superfood salmon balls will make their debut at Central Market and on the brand’s direct-to-consumer site on October 15, with a SRP of $10.99 per 2-pack.

“We created The Plant Based Seafood Co. to create next-gen seafood with a sustainability mindset. This is where SMASH it! lives as well,” said Talbert. “Even though it’s not plant-based, it’s still 100% sustainable, and that is a very big pillar for us under this company.”

SMASH it!’s go-to-market strategy includes partnering with natural and independent retailers who will stock its products in the foodservice meat and seafood case alongside the traditional retail bunker. Having an additional point of discovery, where shoppers can purchase individual balls for $3.99 to $5.99 to trial, is expected to push the velocity of the retail package.

“We want to create a really strong base by going deep before we go wide. Then, when we go wide, we plan to go really wide. We see this as a category game-changer for the seafood industry that will grow nationwide in retail as well as foodservice,” said Talbert.

In the brand’s first year on the market, Talbert expects online sales to account for a “large chunk” of the business (read: 30%-40%). Though she wishes it were a larger percentage, frozen shipments can be “a killer” due to the associated costs.

While the brand’s unique ball product format presents a challenge for SMASH it!’s manufacturing partners, Talbert is confident that it will pay off, as it’s a key differentiating factor in the seafood set.

And the market is ripe with opportunity. Globally, 20% of consumers have upped their fish and seafood consumption in the past year due to the wider variety and novelty of available options, according to Innova Market Insights. Products featuring diverse bases like tuna, salmon, shrimp and sardines prepared minimally through marination, pre-frying or breading have led new product development over the past year.

SMASH it’s! products tap into both the protein craze and the increasing demand for GLP-1-friendly companion food products. Omega-3, source of protein, no additives or preservatives, indulgent and premium and gluten-free are currently the top five positionings in global fish and seafood subcategory launches, per Innova.

Swimming Upstream

The Plant Based Seafood Co. debuted in 2020 with its Mind Blown brand of plant-based seafood products. The brand’s portfolio comprises a retail line of plant-based takes on frozen crab cakes, dusted scallops and dusted shrimp, as well as a collection of dry-mix and frozen products specifically crafted for foodservice.

Last year, dollar sales in the global plant-based meat and seafood retail market totaled $1.2 billion, representing a 7% decline from 2023 and marking the third consecutive year of declines, according to the Good Food Institute (GFI). Adapting to these evolving consumer trends, Mind Blown has pivoted to become more of a B2B solution, according to Talbert.

The brand is now positioning its plant-based formulations as extenders for larger seafood businesses, which Talbert expects to be “quite a big chunk of the business” for Mind Blown. Additionally, Mind Blown is gearing up to launch a retail version of its crab cake dry mix on Amazon within the next few weeks.

“Frozen product growth in retail looks different. That’s the biggest change that we’ve seen in our strategy in the past year or two, and that’s just where plant-based is right now,” said Talbert. “There are not a lot of retail buyers who are moving shelf space for plant-based items.”

That’s not to say that Mind Blown’s frozen products are going away. They are still available for purchase on the brand’s direct-to-consumer website and in Wegmans, but the company does not plan to grow its frozen retail footprint for the next few years.

The Plant Based Seafood Co. has garnered the support of two Top Chef investor-partners, Tom Colicchio and Spike Mendelsohn, both of whom “recognize where the seafood industry is headed,” co-founder Shelly Van Cleve previously told Nosh.

Although she didn’t provide specific names, Talbert said the company’s investors and retail partners alike are focused on market sustainability rather than trying to completely eliminate animals from the supply chain. There has been no pushback on SMASH it!, she said, just “100% excitement.”

“I think it’s my destiny to disrupt the seafood industry. The path there definitely hasn’t been linear, but I definitely see SMASH it! as the brand and the line that will be the game changer,” said Talbert.