Verlasso Expands East Coast Reach Through Distributor Samuels & Son

MIAMI — Verlasso™, the world's first provider of harmoniously raised fish, expanded its market presence through a distribution deal with industry and sustainability leader, Samuels & Son. This relationship marks Verlasso's continued expansion on the East Coast, with additional visibility throughout the Mid-Atlantic, including Philadelphia, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. This distribution relationship comes on the heels of Verlasso's growth on the West Coast, including Portland and Berkeley.

Verlasso is transforming the aquaculture industry by bringing a new category of farmed salmon to the marketplace that targets consumers who care about how their food is raised and where it comes from. Verlasso's innovative, harmoniously raised approach to farming produces a high quality, great tasting salmon that promotes a strong balance between consumers' nutritional needs and the needs of the environment.

"Through Samuels & Son, Verlasso is now readily accessible to premium restaurants and other quality purveyors in the Mid-Atlantic region," explains Scott Nichols, director of Verlasso. "Since our launch in September 2011, we have received highly favorable feedback from chefs and their customers about Verlasso's mild flavor and silky texture. It's an ideal product for chefs wanting to provide a leaner fish than traditionally farmed salmon that also reduces the impact on the eco-system."

"At Samuels & Son, we pride ourselves in being a supplier of the finest seafood products available, and are committed to working with farmers who are dedicated to providing the most sustainable practices possible," said Sam D'Angelo, President and CEO of Samuels & Son. "Verlasso's harmoniously raised salmon provides our customers with a great tasting, high-quality salmon that is unmatched in the marketplace."

Verlasso's most significant innovation is its use of 75 percent fewer feeder fish to produce healthy salmon rich in Omega-3s. In traditional salmon farms, salmon get their Omega-3s from fish oils provided by wild-caught feeder fish, which puts a significant strain on our oceans. Typically it takes 4 or more pounds of feeder fish to raise one pound of salmon—what's known as the "fish in, fish out" ratio. Verlasso drops the "fish in" number from 4 down to 1 without changing the level of Omega-3s.

Verlasso's presence has actively grown since coming onto the market mid last year. Through its relationship with Samuels & Son, Verlasso also has greater potential reach in the New York and Las Vegas markets, providing even further growth in the near future.

To learn more about Verlasso's harmoniously raised salmon or for sales inquiries, go to www.verlasso.com. Or, join in the conversation on Verlasso's blog: http://www.verlasso.com/conversation/all/.

About Samuels & Son
Since 1895, the D'Angelo family has been in the business of seafood. With the evolution from pushcarts to horse-drawn wagons, to a fleet of 51 temperature controlled trucks serving over 2,000 customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, Samuels and Son Seafood continues to expand its full service import and distribution share of the market by providing quality seafood products with the highest standards of customer service. Samuels Seafood serves large commercial customers, and provides the necessary cutting, portioning, packaging and labeling for restaurants and retailers. Chefs at many of the nation's finest restaurants, as well as major grocers stake their reputations on the products Samuels Seafood provides. Samuels offers an extensive stock selection, the majority of which is brought in fresh daily. High volume specialty items sourced globally create a predominant presence for Samuels in the marketplace enabling them to deal directly with fishermen from the North Atlantic to the seas of Australia for consistent quality, competitive pricing and reliable supply. From large-scale salmon and tuna purchases to specialty Japanese and European products: if it swims, Samuels can deliver it.

"At Samuels & Son, we've built a 100-year tradition bringing superb seafood to market. I would like to personally welcome you to the next hundred years." –Sam D'Angelo, President/CEO

About Verlasso
Verlasso™ is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world's leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. Verlasso is currently available in the New York City area via FreshDirect.com, Zupan's Markets in Portland, Oregon and Berkeley Bowl in Berkeley, CA. Learn more at www.verlasso.com, join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon.

Verlasso is a brand and trademark of AquaChile. AquaChile and DuPont formed a collaboration that will join the collective innovation and aquaculture expertise of the companies to identify how to raise fish sustainably to provide nutritious protein for a growing population.

Source: Verlasso