Minnesota Couple, Catches Sells Alaskan Salmon

2022 - Volume #46, Issue #1, Page #06

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Kevin and Stephanie Schmidt operate a “net-to-plate” salmon business. Operating as Sunrise Salmon, they harvest salmon commercially in Alaska and then sell fillets from their Minn. home.
    It’s unique in the business to do it all, from fishing to processing to selling, Schmidt says. His switch from “turf” to “surf” started in 2008 when, at 18, he left his parent’s grain farm to work with his brother’s commercial fishing in Bristol Bay. They purchased a boat and salmon fishing permits. The following year Kevin and Stephanie were married, and she bought out her brother-in-law’s share and his permit. By 2014 the couple started direct marketing with Sunrise Salmon, which led to leasing a remodeled USDA-certified kitchen and freezers in Fergus Falls, Minn., in 2017.
    The following year they invested in an acre of land in Naknek, Alaska, and built an FDA-inspected facility to process the salmon they caught into flash-frozen fillets.
    “Processing was our biggest expense,” Schmidt explains, noting his wife oversees the processing while he fishes.
    He gathers sockeye salmon from nets that are anchored to the shoreline permitted to them. The season runs from the end of June to mid-July. The work is labor-intensive, and it is challenging to find workers for such a short time. The Schmidts have had the most success with farmer employees, and they fly them to Alaska and house them in cabins.
    Other challenges are the high cost of electricity and transportation logistics that include plane, barge and truck travel to get the fish back to Minn.
    “We modeled our business after CSAs and sell the fish in 10, 20 and 30-lb. packages of full fillets or portions,” Schmidt says. Customers preorder and pay in full or make down payments in May to provide money for expenses.
    No salmon is currently available, but the Schmidts are taking preorders beginning in May. Costs range from $13.50 to $15 per lb. (discounts for larger orders).
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Sunrise Salmon, Kevin and Stephanie Schmidt, P.O. Box 913, Fergus Falls, MN 56538 (ph 218-770-8011; info@sunrisesalmon.com; www.sunrisesalmon.com).

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Minnesota Couple Catches Sells Alaskan Salmon CROPS New Crops Kevin and Stephanie Schmidt operate a “net-to-plate” salmon business Operating as Sunrise Salmon they harvest salmon commercially in Alaska and then sell fillets from their Minn home It’s unique in the business to do it all from fishing to processing to selling Schmidt says His switch from “turf” to “surf” started in 2008 when at 18 he left his parent’s grain farm to work with his brother’s commercial fishing in Bristol Bay They purchased a boat and salmon fishing permits The following year Kevin and Stephanie were married and she bought out her brother-in-law’s share and his permit By 2014 the couple started direct marketing with Sunrise Salmon which led to leasing a remodeled USDA-certified kitchen and freezers in Fergus Falls Minn in 2017 The following year they invested in an acre of land in Naknek Alaska and built an FDA-inspected facility to process the salmon they caught into flash-frozen fillets “Processing was our biggest expense ” Schmidt explains noting his wife oversees the processing while he fishes He gathers sockeye salmon from nets that are anchored to the shoreline permitted to them The season runs from the end of June to mid-July The work is labor-intensive and it is challenging to find workers for such a short time The Schmidts have had the most success with farmer employees and they fly them to Alaska and house them in cabins Other challenges are the high cost of electricity and transportation logistics that include plane barge and truck travel to get the fish back to Minn “We modeled our business after CSAs and sell the fish in 10 20 and 30-lb packages of full fillets or portions ” Schmidt says Customers preorder and pay in full or make down payments in May to provide money for expenses No salmon is currently available but the Schmidts are taking preorders beginning in May Costs range from $13 50 to $15 per lb discounts for larger orders Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Sunrise Salmon Kevin and Stephanie Schmidt P O Box 913 Fergus Falls MN 56538 ph 218-770-8011; info@sunrisesalmon com; www sunrisesalmon com

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