Gorton’s Seafood Moves to Fewer Ingredients for their Flavorful Seafood Favorites

GLOUCESTER, Mass., Nov. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Some mornings when driving along the harbor toward downtown Gloucester, the tantalizing aroma of garlic and herb wafts through the air and you know what’s cooking at Gorton’s. Ingredients like the freshly baked breadcrumbs, real garlic and herbs and grated parmesan cheese have always been used in creating the wide variety of flavorful seafood that Gorton’s offers. And today, in an effort to bring the deliciousness of such ingredients to the forefront, Gorton’s announced a commitment to simplify ingredients and introduce new, cleaner recipes for all of the brand’s items by the end of 2017.

For more than a year, the Gorton’s culinary team has been reviewing recipes and working to ensure the best tasting seafood products using ingredients you would find in your own kitchen. The first nine simplified recipes from Gorton’s, a trusted source of quality seafood since 1849, will begin rolling out in the next two months.

“Delicious, quality seafood isn’t just about the seafood,” said Mary Beth Gangloff, who is leading the simplification charge at Gorton’s. “It’s about the grated parmesan and Romano cheese in our Parmesan Crusted Cod or the beer in our Beer Battered Fillets. This effort is about doing everything we can possibly do to ensure that nothing gets in the way of our real, authentic ingredients. Our goal is to ensure that the goodness of our seafood reaches our consumers in every single bite.”

Gorton’s chefs have been working to find simpler replacements for ingredients, while ensuring that taste and quality is maintained or improved.

“In addition to feedback from consumers, this effort comes from our team’s desire to offer the best possible products with the fewest ingredients on the back panel,” said Gangloff. “As food lovers, employees of one of the world’s leading seafood brands, and pioneers in seafood innovation, we know and love seafood. We believe the best way for us to offer great tasting, quality seafood is to continue to improve and revitalize our delicious products.”

In addition to simplifying the recipe for the products, the format of the list of ingredients on the package is also changing to be easier to read and understand. Ingredients that make up the breadcrumb coating will be listed separately from vegetable oil or wild-caught Alaska Pollock, for example. This new format makes it easy for consumers to understand the composition of the products and to be reassured that they are eating only quality ingredients.

“Reading nutrition labels is so important when selecting healthy food choices, but can also be really confusing at times,” said Allison Stowell, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Stowell Nutrition. “When a leading brand like Gorton’s takes the steps to not only simplify the ingredients, but also make the labels clearer and easier to understand, it’s a great step towards brand transparency and, ultimately, improved public health.”

Reworked products across the full Gorton’s line will continue to roll out through the beginning of 2017. Each of Gorton’s products, which are already free of synthetic colors, artificial flavors and MSG, will have simpler ingredients and labels by the end of 2017.

“As a leader in the seafood industry, Gorton’s commitment to providing consumers with simplified products and labels is an important step toward improving the industry as a whole,” said Linda Cornish, Executive Director of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership. “Gorton’s ongoing commitment to sustainable seafood has strengthened the brand’s position and this effort is just one more way they are demonstrating their dedication to providing quality, sustainable seafood. We applaud Gorton’s for investing in this process.”

To celebrate the announcement of the simplified products with consumers, Gorton’s has also launched the “Wicked Simple Sweepstakes”, which offers fans the opportunity to win a simple prize: $2,500 in cold, hard cash. To enter without purchase, please visit the brand on Facebook.

For more information on Gorton’s products, please visit www.gortons.com. Gorton’s offers downloadable coupons and a free digital newsletter that provides monthly recipes and coupon offers on the Gorton’s website, www.gortons.com. In addition, Gorton’s Seafood is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest where consumers may connect with the brand in social media and be the first to hear about news, contest announcements and special promotions.

About Gorton’s Seafood: Since 1849, Gorton’s mission has been to help people everywhere enjoy the goodness of great seafood. Headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Gorton’s is one of America’s oldest companies, and continues to be the innovative leader in the frozen seafood industry. Gorton’s full line of frozen seafood products spans from Breaded and Battered Fish Sticks and Fillets including the new Smart & Crunchy line, to gluten-free Grilled Fillets, to Shrimp Scampi, Breaded Butterfly and Popcorn Shrimp, and innovative product lines such as Skillet Crisp Tilapia and Simply Bake Fillets. Gorton’s products are available nationwide in independent and chain grocery stores. Gorton’s proudly stands behind the promise that consumers can “Trust the Gorton’s Fisherman” for the best-tasting, highest-quality seafood. The Gorton’s Fisherman, in his yellow slicker and rain hat, embodies this commitment. For more information, please visit http://www.gortons.com or call 1-800-222-6846.