{"id":43041,"date":"2023-10-03T21:12:48","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T21:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/03\/how-kyle-lee-disrupted-the-alaskan-salmon-industry\/"},"modified":"2023-10-03T21:12:48","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T21:12:48","slug":"how-kyle-lee-disrupted-the-alaskan-salmon-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/03\/how-kyle-lee-disrupted-the-alaskan-salmon-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"How Kyle Lee Disrupted the Alaskan Salmon Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Kyle Lee\u2014the 31-year old commercial fisherman turned owner of Alaskan Salmon Company<\/a>\u2014is regularly banned from TikTok.<\/p>\n

\u201cI respond to too many comments in a short period of time,\u201d he told me.<\/p>\n

In 2023, too many comments<\/em> isn\u2019t the worst problem to have. With an audience of nearly 400,000 people, Kyle\u2019s TikTok<\/a>\u2014which peers into the daily operations of a commercial fishing boat\u2014sits at the core of his business.<\/p>\n

\u201cTikTok has been insane for us. It\u2019s just this huge lever that we never could have predicted or planned for. It\u2019s great because we have this direct access and communication to our customers who we\u2019re trying to target,\u201d Kyle said.<\/p>\n

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\"Kyle<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>
\n Kyle with two Alaskan king salmon. <\/span><\/p>\n

Photo by Alaskan Salmon Company<\/span>
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While TikTok may not have been part of Kyle\u2019s original plan, disrupting the commercial fishing industry through technology and social media always was. Prior to starting his own business, during his summers in college, Kyle worked on other salmon fishing boats in his home state of Alaska. When he\u2019d return to Colorado in the fall, he\u2019d bring frozen filets of the salmon that he caught along with him.<\/p>\n

“I would go to the grocery stores, and I’d go check out what they had,” he said. “They’re selling Alaskan salmon, but it looks so bad\u2014it looks so different from what I had in my freezer.”<\/p>\n

From there, Kyle began researching how Alaskan seafood is typically processed. \u201cEvery company has a different process. The majority of Alaskan seafood is exported overseas, it\u2019s handled multiple times, and it just causes that product breakdown, that deterioration,\u201d he shared. \u201cI was like, well, social media and technology have never been greater. There\u2019s no reason for us to stick to this business model.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fast forward to today, and Kyle\u2019s Alaskan Seafood Company has turned the model on its head. Instead of working with numerous processors, distributors and middlemen, Alaskan Seafood Company handles it all themselves. Their process is simple: catch fish, clean and flash freeze it immediately, then ship it directly to the consumer.<\/p>\n

The model works. In each of its first three years, Alaskan Seafood Company has sold out of all the fish they’ve caught. Their clientele includes Michelin-starred restaurants. And the business is growing, as Kyle has since partnered with \u201chundreds of fishermen\u201d to expand their inventory, which now includes sablefish and halibut.<\/p>\n

We caught up with Kyle to learn more about Alaskan Salmon Company\u2019s process, his strategy for buying the highest-quality fish at any supermarket, and cooking for a crew of fishermen.<\/p>\n

The following interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\n The Best Oysters You Can Buy Are Probably Online
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