When grocery shopping, you may not always find exactly what you’re looking for in one place. In fact, you may need to go to multiple grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and stores to gather all of your items. However, when it comes to buying seafood, you may want to consider a fish subscription box.
With a fish subscription box, you don’t have to worry about going to multiple stores to find the exact catch you’re looking for. This is similar to an online coffee subscription or a coffee subscription box, produce subscription box, and meat subscription box.
If you can’t always find the seafood you want or are looking for more exclusive fish options, such as wild-caught or sustainably farmed options, a subscription may be just what you need. In this blog post, you will learn the answer to the question, “What is a fish subscription box?”, and determine if it’s the right thing for you.
Fish Subscription Box Definition
A fish subscription box is a selection of seafood that is delivered to your door on a routine basis. Some of the seafood you receive may be higher quality or part of a larger selection than what you may find at the grocery store.
Having a fish subscription box delivered to you is an easy and convenient way for you to source the products you wish to purchase. The food is typically shipped frozen by the companies. In fact, they know exactly how to ship frozen food and all about the seafood shipping process to ensure food safety and quality.
With most seafood subscription boxes, clients receive information regarding the sourcing and sustainability of the products. This includes the methods used to source the products, the inventory storage process, and the food supply chain.
Key Takeaway: Purchasing a fish subscription box will allow you to have fresh or frozen fish and seafood delivered to your door for an affordable recurring cost.
Fresher Than the Supermarket
Most of the seafood you order online will ship and arrive frozen or partially thawed. However, there are some exceptions such as lobster.
Keep in mind that most of the “fresh” fish you have access to at your local market or grocery store has already been frozen and defrosted before being laid out on the ice or packaged in the refrigerator.
Frozen fish and seafood are just as healthy and good for you to consume as fresh fish. However, the key here is to ensure that it has been handled and packaged properly and with the proper food safety management system in mind.
In some cases, the freshest fish closest to you or easily available to you may not be truly fresh. Truly fresh fish means it has not been frozen and thawed. With that in mind, the most reliable option for you would be to purchase from a vendor that flash-freezes each item right after it is caught.
Shipping Seafood
There is a few things to keep in mind when shipping food. This includes candy shipping, shipping frozen meat, fresh produce, shipping dairy products, as well as fresh and frozen seafood.
Most seafood sold online is flash-frozen and properly packaged using dry ice for delivery. This is true for a fish subscription box and standard one-time orders.
When you receive the order, most of the fish should still be fully frozen or partially thawed. This excludes species such as shellfish like crab and lobster where suppliers may use overnight shipping methods to ship each order.
Transparency, freshness, and quality are key factors to consider when purchasing seafood. These days, companies are looking into innovative ways to ensure these things while also ensuring the sustainability of their fishing practices. This includes including information regarding when and where the fish was caught and how far it traveled.
There are a few different options to choose from when it comes to shipping fish and seafood. This will depend on the size of the order.
For smaller parcels, you may consider using the US Postal Service as they offer affordable rates and fast services. These include Priority Mail Express which is their fastest service and the one you should consider when shipping perishable items.
Larger parcels may require you to use UPS or FedEx services. Both of these shipping providers offer more options than USPS when it comes to shipping packages that are larger. This also includes shipping heavier-weight packages. In fact, FedEx is a shipping provider that specializes in shipping frozen food and perishable items.
3 Fish Subscription Box Options
If you’re inclined to purchase a fish subscription box and get seafood delivered right to your door, you may be interested in exploring different options. Below are three fish subscription box options for you to consider.
1. Fulton Fish Market
This market sells a wide range of fresh and frozen fish. Most of their products are shipped overnight which allows customers to eat restaurant-quality seafood from the comfort of their homes.
The Fulton Fish Market was established in 1822 and is the largest fish market in the United States and is located in New York City. They offer a large selection of seafood that clients can have delivered to them in one-off à la carte options or in a fish subscription box.
Most of their fish is delivered fresh; however, they have some frozen options to choose from as well. Fish and seafood selections come with nutritional information and the country of origin. It also includes information regarding whether the products were wild-caught or farm-raised.
The Fulton Fish Market has a minimum order amount of $75 and their fish subscription boxes start at just under $65 per box. Most subscription buyers will save about 5% on their orders compared to one-time orders.
2. Wulf’s Fish
Another option for fish subscriptions and à la carte orders of fish, seafood, and caviar, you may consider Wulf’s Fish. They were founded in 1926 and supply some top restaurants in the United States with wild-caught and farmed fish and seafood.
Wulf’s Fish offers a wide selection of fish and curated subscription boxes. They even offer recipe ideas, sustainability, and safety notes for each order.
The subscription boxes start at $150 and for certain locations, Wulf’s Fish offers free shipping for orders over $150. They also have deals for recurring subscriptions on marinated mussels.
3. Taylor Shellfish
If you’re looking to get raw shellfish delivered to your door, Taylor Shellfish is the place to consider. They are known for their raw shellfish options that can be found in multiple oyster bars and shellfish markets in the Pacific Northwest.
Taylor Shellfish offers fresh shellfish that comes from family-owned farms in either fresh or frozen options. The company was founded in 1890, and they specialize in oysters, clams, mussels, and the rare geoduck.
One of their subscription boxes, the Taylor’s Raw Bar Experience, includes oysters, a shucking glove, a shucking knife, lemon, and Tabasco sauce. They also have similar boxes such as their paella kits.
Taylor Shellfish offers oysters starting at $65. Perishable orders over $250 will ship free and other orders ship for a flat rate of $40 for all states.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fish Subscription Boxes
You can have all kinds of food delivered right to your door. With a fish subscription box service, you can buy fresh fish online from the comfort of your home. It’s an ideal option to consider if your local seafood market doesn’t have what you’re looking for.
To better understand the subscription business model, how to start a subscription box, and what a fish subscription box is, read the following commonly asked questions. This way, you can determine if subscription box products are right for you.
How Does a Fish Subscription Work?
A fish subscription works by signing up to have fresh or frozen fish or seafood delivered to your door at a frequency that you choose for as long as you like. You can select your preferred delivery frequency such as weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, etc. Then you can choose the items you wish to include in each subscription. It's possible to find such offerings from an online seafood store.
Can You Save Money by Subscribing to a Fish Delivery Service?
Yes, you can save money by subscribing to a fish delivery service. In many cases, subscribing to a fish delivery service, such as a fish subscription box, will save you money because you are paying the business a recurring fee. This recurring payment is beneficial for you and the business due to the repeat business you are offering.
How Is Fish Packaged for Delivery?
Fish is often packaged using a vacuum seal in plastic, then is flash frozen, and put into a box with dry ice to ensure it stays frozen during transport. There may be eco-friendly insulation in the box as well. These tactics help ensure the quality and safety of the fish and seafood during the transport and delivery process.