Pat Shanahan, executive director of the Wild Alaska Sole Association, says the light, mild-flavored fish with a flaky texture is the complete package of what consumers are looking for in a protein option today. "It has that protein that doesn't weigh you down, but it offers really superior sustainability and nutrition characteristics," Shanahan says. "It's a wild-capture fish, but it's very abundant. It's the second largest federally managed fishery in Alaska and averages around 200,000 metric tons per year, which is a very large fishery."

She says wild Alaska sole is independently certified sustainable.

On the nutrition side, wild Alaska sole is an excellent source of lean protein, offering high levels of omega-3 fatty acids for a low fat fish, Shanahan says. "It's quite unusual to find the levels in mild, low-calorie, low-fat fish, like wild Alaska sole. So we're really excited to share that kind of information, too, for those consumers and buyers that are looking for really healthy options or superior kinds of health benefits."

During the recent Annual Meat Conference 2025 in Orlando, Fla., The National Provisioner's Chief Editor Fred Wilkinson sat down with Midan Marketing Principal Michael Uetz, who shared insights and outlook on the market forces shaping opportunities in the meat and poultry category.

Despite challenges such as the lingering effect of inflation, "Meat is still strong," Uetz says. "Even though consumers are concerned about the cost of living, they're still buying protein."

Verde Farms CEO Brad Johnson and Senior Director of Marketing Kirstyn Lipson sit down with us at the 2025 Annual Meat Conference to catch up on what's trending in the better-for-you beef category, how the BFY consumer has changed over the years and what the industry can expect looking ahead.

Anne-Marie Roerink, principal of 210 Analytics and author of the annual Power of Meat presentation, sits down with The National Provisioner to discuss record category sales, generational purchasing preferences, the future of the meat department, and much more.

Emily Ellis,  director of communications and content for Animal Agriculture Alliance, discusses the alliance's efforts to engage with external audiences, food chain influencers, and thought leaders, aiming to correct misinformation about animal welfare practices and meat production. A key part of the effort, Ellis says, is providing accurate background about what modern animal agriculture is and what producers and ranchers are doing on the farm to care for their animals and ensure humane practices are being followed.  

Keeping on top of impactful regulatory developments is always top of mind for meat and poultry processors. With a new regulatory approach unfolding under the Trump Administration, what will it mean for meat and poultry processors looking to remain compliant with the latest federal regulatory guidance on crucial issues such as wastewater handling?

Helping shed some light on how processors can prepare their operations for compliance with emerging regulatory guidance is Chris Knodel, an industrial wastewater manager at Burns & McDonnell. Burns & McDonnell is a design-build firm offering processors solutions for innovative and sustainable critical infrastructure upgrades and expansions. He is joined by Brian Chrisman, a senior business development manager at Burns & McDonnell, who brings more than 30 years of protein and food processing operations experience and insights.