Buying your fish and seafood from an online fishmonger may not be what you’re traditionally used to. After all there’s a lot to be said about selecting fresh produce for yourself. However, with more and more of us choosing to shop online, especially since the start of the pandemic, there are some surprising benefits to be had from purchasing your fish and seafood in this way.
In this article we will look at 5 reasons you should buy your fish and seafood from an online fishmonger.
1. Quality
Fresh fish should never smell like fish. I know that sounds really strange, but an overly fishy smell means the fish is definitely past its best. And you might be forgiven for thinking fish and seafood bought online couldn’t possible be as fresh as the same products bought from the supermarket. But actually you’d be wrong, as online fishmongers, like Seafresh, specialise in sourcing the highest quality fish and use a certain technique to ensure the fish they deliver to you is as fresh as it can possibly be. By airblast freezing the fish it not only helps to lock in the flavour, but it also prevents bacteria from forming, which means fresher, tastier fish for you. Fish and seafood that is sold by a reputable online fishmonger will go straight from being caught to being transported to an airblast freezing facility thus maximising freshness. The fish remains frozen right up to when it gets delivered to you, allowing you to transfer it to your freezer ready for when you want to use it. Which brings us nicely onto…
2. Convenience
Buying anything online is just so much easier isn’t it? You get to sit on your sofa, browse at your own leisure, do a bit of additional research if you so wish, click a button, wait a bit and then whatever you’ve ordered gets delivered straight to your doorstep. It is literally the most convenient, easiest way of shopping ever. And using an online fishmonger is no different.
As nice as it is to support independent businesses on the high street, fishmongers are becoming increasingly more difficult to find. So if you live somewhere that doesn’t have a fishmonger the alternative is to either get it from the supermarket, which in most instances will involve the fish having been through a much lengthier process of transportation and handling and therefore not being as fresh, or by using an online fishmonger. We know which option we’d rather go for!
3. It’s Better For The Environment And You
Many of us are looking for ways to reduce the impact our food has on the environment and one of those ways is to reduce the carbon footprint of the food we eat. When you order fish from an online fishmonger you can be safe in the knowledge that it has gone though as short a supply chain as possible. However, when you buy from the supermarket, especially a supermarket that doesn’t have its own in store fishmonger, there is no knowing how many links in the chain the fish has had to pass through before being packaged up and placed in the store’s chiller cabinets.
A shorter supply chain generally means less transportation, less packaging and less handling, which not only affects the environment, but also the quality of the produce you’re buying too. It’s worth checking with your fish provider what their stance on environmental issues such as these are. Find out how they fish, whether their packaging is sustainable and biodegradable, and whether they offset their carbon costs in any way.
4. Variety
One huge benefit of shopping for fish online is that there is generally more variety available than that sold by your average supermarket. Plus you don’t actually know what your local supermarket will have in stock until you take a trip there and see for yourself and that can be really annoying if you have a particular recipe in mind. An online fishmonger on the other hand will be able to answer any questions you have and tell you not only about their current stock levels but also about the fish they are expecting in and may also be able to order something in for you if they don’t currently have it.
With less overheads and an almost unlimited shop space, online fishmongers don’t have to worry about having too much variety. It is this flexibility and choice that gives them a unique position over a supermarket.
5. Expert Knowledge
Building up a good relationship with your fishmonger is a great way to get the best fish, at the best prices and to also use their extensive knowledge about which fish is in season and some may also be able to suggest some recipes for you as well. It is unlikely you will get the same level of service at a grocery store, as most staff won’t have such specific experience and knowledge, and depending when you shop you could end up dealing with weekend staff who will be even less likely to be able to answer your questions.
Most websites that sell fish and seafood online will have additional information about the fish, such as how it tastes, what flavours go well with it, cooking instructions, storage instructions etc. and you just won’t get that kind of information elsewhere. Buying online allows you to take your time with the decisions you make rather than feeling rushed into a purchase because you’re holding the queue up. This is shopping on your terms and at your own pace.
The way we shop is changing – we want high quality products, quickly, and at affordable prices – and as you can see, making the move to an online fishmonger could be precisely the way to achieve this.
*collaborative post
