Juneau, Alaska – February 16, 2007 – Retailers looking to increase sales of frozen seafood during Lent can look to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) for support. Lenten season accounts for as much as 35-40 percent of annual frozen seafood sales. Furthermore, according to ACNielsen data, frozen seafood entrées sales are up over 26 percent since last year. Retailers can respond to this increase in demand by featuring ASMI’s COOK IT FROZEN! ® merchandising materials. The COOK IT FROZEN! techniques enables retail consumers to conveniently cook Alaska seafood from frozen, providing a quick and easy mealtime solution for the time-pressed customer.
 
As many Americans prepare to observe Lent this year, the availability of high quality frozen wild Alaska seafood and the COOK IT FROZEN! techniques make it easy and convenient for consumers to prepare healthy and delicious Alaska seafood meals. Using the COOK IT FROZEN! techniques enable customers to skip the thawing process, making Alaska seafood a freezer item that is readily available for quick-to-fix meals. In addition, retailers can direct their customers to www.cookitfrozen.com <http://www.cookitfrozen.com> for both the techniques and a wide variety of COOK IT FROZEN! recipes.

Available to retailers looking to promote frozen wild Alaska seafood during Lent are COOK IT FROZEN! posters, floor decals, static clings, recipe leaflets, tear-off recipe pads (backing has both clip and adhesive), employee buttons and a cleverly designed bookmark that outlines simple COOK IT FROZEN! stovetop sautéing techniques. In addition, an in-store demonstration training video featuring Chef John Ash is available in DVD or CD-ROM formats. Retailers can order these materials free of charge by calling ASMI’s toll free number 1-800-806-2497.
 
Alaska is the pioneer of sustainability. Since acceptance into the Union in 1959, Alaska has been the only state in the nation whose constitution mandates that “fish…be utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle.” This long-term dedication to sustainability has resulted in keeping the world stocked with a continuous, ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood. Indeed, Alaska's effective and precise fisheries management practices are considered a model for the world.
 
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is the State of Alaska’s official seafood marketing arm. It is a public agency of the State of Alaska, funded by the Alaska seafood industry and federal grants. ASMI promotes Alaska seafood throughout the U.S. and in 16 other countries. ASMI also provides education and training to the seafood industry in food safety and quality assurance practices. 

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Contact: Karl Uri
800-806-2497