Trader Joe’s, Gelson’s debut seafood soups for fall

Two U.S. grocery chains have upped their seafood soup offerings in anticipation of the fall season.

Monrovia, California, U.S.A.-based Trader Joe’s, which operates 543 stores across the U.S., recently added a refrigerated lobster bisque to its lineup, along with frozen garlic and shrimp flatbread and fresh sesame miso salad with salmon, as part of its private-label brand.

“Our mission is to bring our customers the best quality products at the best prices. We taste everything before we put our name on it and offer only what we feel is extraordinary,” Trader Joe’s Public Relation’s Manager Nakia Rohde told SeafoodSource. 

The company debuts new products weekly, and then its customers “vote with their dollars for what stays on our shelves," Rohde said.

After realizing success with its seafood soup line launched last fall, Santa Fe Springs, California, U.S.A.-based Gelson’s Markets is adding another soup: shrimp and corn chowder, made by Fall River, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based Blount Fine Foods under its Blount Clam Shack brand.

The original line of gourmet soups – including clam chowder, lobster bisque, and seafood gumbo – have become a daily offering in the stores due to customer demand, Gelson’s Vice President of Fresh Sean Saenz told SeafoodSource.

The retailer is adding the new shrimp and corn chowder flavor because it’s “a creamy comfort food perfectly suited for the cool fall weather,” Saenz said.

The retailer, which offers value-added meals in its seafood department, is also reintroducing its salmon rouladen – Gelson’s version of the traditional German dish featuring long, thin strips of meat filled with bacon, onions, and pickles and then rolled. 

The salmon rouladen is made in-house daily with Chilean seabass, a blend of fresh chopped dill, and lemon herb seasoning. 

“This is a fall favorite for our customers who are looking to indulge in an upscale dinner in the comfort of their homes,” Saenz said. "No need to go to a high-priced restaurant; we do all the hard work to make you look like a chef at a five-star restaurant when cooking and serving this dish to your family or when hosting friends.”  

Photo courtesy of Gelson's Markets