Aloha Fish Company, purveyors of premium, responsibly sourced seafood from the Pacific Ocean, got its unplanned start in the early days of the pandemic. A meeting and events planner on furlough, Jenn Cheung Cline missed the fresh fish she enjoyed in her native Hawaii, a longing made more pronounced during the shutdown.
While talking with her cousin in Oahu, she learned he could ship her heart’s desire — if she ordered 80 pounds. “Eighty pounds! How can I deal with 80 pounds?” she remembers. She turned to friends and neighbors, many of whom eagerly claimed a portion of the shipment, and the first order was made.
Each recipient was bowled over by the difference. The sustainably caught fish, packed and shipped the same day, possessed a texture and flavor markedly better than anything they had tasted before. They wanted more. Jenn’s husband, Jerry, a chef for the Tennessee Titans, enjoyed butchering the fillets and connecting with customers. When he told his wife, “Well, this is fun!” that was all it took. An unforeseen business was born
Selling through social media channels, farmers’ market booths, and pop-ups around the city, the Clines gradually built a dedicated following that appreciated the variety and caliber of their offerings…