Why Is Crown Prince Called Crown Prince?
Crown Prince Seafood dates back to 1948, but did you know that from 1948-1985 we went by another name? In fact, the roots of this company not only had another name, but sold something far different from seafood: orange juice!
From Orange Juice to Sardines
When Case Hoffman (our current president’s grandfather) teamed up with two friends to start an orange juice company, they called it “Cold Gold” and met with considerable success.
During that time, the factory’s accountant was a man from Norway. He had a friend back home, Bjarne Ogne, who was a fisherman and wanted to sell his sardines in the United States.
The Cold Gold men agreed, but not long later decided to sell the orange juice business, leaving an excess inventory of quality canned sardines with nowhere to go.
Case Hoffman didn’t want the fish to go to waste simply because the business had changed. So he started a company of his own—Norwegian Fish Importers—and began a one-man operation, making deliveries in the family station wagon until the business began to grow.
Crown Prince Seafood labels through the years
From “Norwegian Fish Importers” to “Crown Prince”
The staple product of the Norwegian Fish Importers line was called the Crown Prince canned sardine. The name came directly from Norway, where every type of sardine had a different name: Crown Prince, Three Star, etc.
Crown Prince was by far the most popular item among Case’s customers, so when, by 1985, the company had branched out to provide seafood from countries beyond Norway, “Crown Prince” was a good way to reflect that change while giving a nod to the company’s origins nearly 40 years prior.
Crown Prince Sardines through the years: from Norway to Scotland, Crown Prince only sources the highest quality sardines, which are available in a variety of sauces and oils.
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Seafood For All: Dietary Restrictions Welcome
There’s no letdown like almost digging into a delicious dish at a family party, then finding out its ingredients are on your “do not eat” list. From gluten (a must-not for many) to sodium (a should-not for many more), dietary restrictions are now fairly common. The more we learn about the human body, and the more health-conscious we become as society, the more awareness there is about how our food affects our health.
Seafood for Health
That’s good news for people with dietary restrictions, because it means that food labeling is far more helpful today than in years past. Crown Prince Seafood is proud to be transparent about the ingredients we use to pack and prepare our products. So if you’re interested in seafood for the protein and omega-3’s, you can also enjoy fat free, low sodium, gluten free, and kosher options as well.
Information on Specific Dietary Restrictions
If you have any of the following dietary restrictions, we have carefully listed out the products we offer that meet your needs. Please read all labels just to be safe, as recipes (especially for flavored sauces) do change every now and again.
- Kosher seafood – Our 30+ Kosher seafood offerings meet Kosher standards and are certified by either the Orthodox Union or the Kosher Supervision of America.
- Gluten free seafood – Currently all of our products are gluten free and certified gluten free by the Celiac Sprue Association.
- Low sodium seafood – Approximately a dozen of our products are considered low sodium, with little or no sodium added during canning.
- Fat free seafood – Great protein, great flavor, no guilt. Our fat free canned seafood offerings may be just what you’re looking for.
Can’t find the information you’re looking for above? Just ask us.
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Story of Our Oysters – Part Two
Have you ever wondered how our oysters go from the admittedly unattractive shells they grow in to the simple, delicious form in which you enjoy them? The Story of Our Oysters continues as we guide you into the packing facilities, where they are packed fresh and shipped in batches (we check samples from each and every production code to ensure quality and deliciousness).
A Simple Canning for Good, Clean Flavor
Once harvested from the clear blue coastal waters of China and South Korea, our oysters are transported on ice to their respective canning facilities, usually by ferry.
First the oysters are washed, then lightly steamed so that the shells can be removed by hand without damaging the oyster meat. After the shells are removed, the oysters are washed again before being either smoked or boiled. (The process corresponds, of course, with either our Smoked Oysters or Boiled Oysters.)
Crown Prince Oysters are sorted by size and packed carefully by hand
(Photo by Dustan Hoffman / Crown Prince)
Smoked Oysters are naturally smoked for 15-20 minutes and then carefully packed into sterilized cans, where they are marinated in either cottonseed oil or olive oil and a touch of salt before the cans are sealed, cleaned, and sterilized once again.
Boiled Oysters are gently boiled to provide a clear, clean appearance and a wonderful, mild flavor. Packed in pure water with just a bit of salt to maintain shelf stability and support the flavor, they are carefully placed into sterilized cans which are cleaned and sterilized again.
En Route to Your Table
Samples from each and every production code of oysters are sent to our headquarters in City of Industry, California for testing and pre-approval before the lot is shipped to us. This ensures that our high quality standards are maintained. Crown Prince Smoked Oysters and Boiled Oysters are available in grocery and health food stores nationwide.
Try Crown Prince Oysters in Bayside Farmer’s Bread or Stuffed Chicken Parmesan
The final chapter in the story of our oysters is up to you! From the shelf of your local market, it’s a short trip to your kitchen cabinet, where they undoubtedly end up in more soups, stews, hors d’oeuvres and snacks than we can account for here. Bon appétit!
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Story of Our Oysters
Though we introduced our oysters as the “pearl” of South Korean and Chinese seafood, the oysters we humans eat are not the same oysters that are famous for pearl making. In fact, pearl oysters aren’t true oysters; they come from a different family of bivalve mollusks. But who’s counting?
Oysters harvested in Fuzhou, China (Photos by Dustan Hoffman / Crown Prince)
You Are What You Eat
Oysters are known, if not for an outwardly attractive appearance, for their “delicate, toothy texture, rich flavor, and salty liquor.” In short, they are delicious. This is helped by their diet, which includes a constant wash of plankton and fresh green algae coming through their gills. This healthy diet helps create that wonderful texture and flavor, and it also makes oysters a source of calcium, iron and protein.
Crown Prince President Dustan Hoffman overlooks the Fuzhou oyster farm in China, Spring 2011
Calm, Clear Waters
Our oysters come from the shallow waters very near to the shores of mainland China and the island peninsula of South Korea. These shallow waters are calm and clean, which makes for a higher quality oyster (and a great place to visit when we go to inspect our products on the ground).
Here, they are farmed in carefully managed fisheries, which allows this plentiful species to be sustainably harvested.
Shoreside location also allows a close eye to be kept on water conditions so that harvest is timed just right – when the oysters are fat and at their peak for flavor.
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Crown Prince team is participating in another new recycling program with the help of TerraCycle.net, which accepts hard to recycle items and makes being green a little easier. For every waste item sent in to be recycled, TerraCycle will either pay 2 cents or offer 2 points that can be redeemed at a later time. (Each point is worth a penny.) We chose the program for the points, and we’re planning to use the benefits for charity donations.
Not only are we raising money for charity by helping to save the environment, we’re giving back to the environment by sending our proceeds to charity: water. They are a non-profit organization that brings safe drinking water to the people living in developing nations mainly located in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. For 6 points we can provide clean water to one person for a week! Here’s what we are recycling:
Tape: disposable plastic tape dispensers and the center plastic core of tape rolls
Writing Instruments: any used writing instruments such as pens, pencils, highlighters and markers
Personal Care and Beauty Product Packaging: cosmetic containers, shampoo and conditioner bottles, body wash containers, soap and lotion dispensers, nail polish bottles and more!
Outer Plastic Wrappers: Any brand and any size of outer plastic wrapping from paper products such as paper towels or bath tissue
With almost one billion people on our planet lacking access to clean drinking water, we’re hoping to help make a difference. You can too- just visit TerraCycle.net and start recycling today!
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
Each weekday morning, the K-EARTH 101 Morning Show chooses one lucky Southern California office to become the official K-EARTH 101 Office of the Day. Today, they chose Crown Prince Seafood!
The Crown Prince Seafood Family with Antonio of K-EARTH 101
Earlier this morning, Antonio of K-EARTH 101 brought us coffee and bagels from Western Bagel and played some beautiful music for us while we took an extended coffee break!
“Crown Prince is a great place to work” says Mark, who entered us into the contest. “The owner always treats us with respect. We’re like family.” Mark has been with the company for 23 years. You can listen to his phone call on the K-EARTH 101 website.
Antonio of K-EARTH 101 performs for us in the lobby, beside our founder Case Hoffman.
If you work in Southern California, sign your office up to be the K-EARTH 101 Morning Show’s office of the day!
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
Crown Prince Salmon and the Feingold Diet
Crown Prince products are compatible with a number of specialized diets. From low sodium to fat-free to Kosher, we’re proud to be transparent about our processing and ingredients.
Another dietary plan our product lineup lends itself to is the Feingold Diet. The Feingold Diet is based on the removal of artificial dyes, additives and preservatives to positively impact behavioral difficulties, especially (but not exclusively) in children.
Crown Prince Seafood is proud to be Feingold-accepted by the Feingold Association as a provider of additive-free salmon for consumers to enjoy. Both of these products are within our Crown Prince Natural family and can be found at fine grocers nation-wide:
Low Sodium Salmon
Ingredients: Alaskan Pink Salmon
Skinless Boneless Salmon
Ingredients: Pacific Pink Salmon, Salt
If you participate in the Feingold diet and have enjoyed Crown Prince Salmon, let us know in the comments section! We’d love to help others find Feingold-approved recipes that utilize Crown Prince products for health and well being.
Get Your Grill On!
Father’s Day is this weekend, and the 4th of July is just around the corner. That means grilling season is in full swing! While we may not supply burgers, we at Crown Prince love a good cookout as much as anyone else. After all, shouldn’t your side dishes be as delicious as your main course?
Inspired by the simplicity and deliciousness of or products themselves, we’ve developed and taste-tested a slough of recipes. Here are our top choices for summer: family-friendly recipes to make your next cookout anything but bland.
Salads
For a backyard family picnic, try our Sardine Salad Sandwiches, or put a twist on a classic with our Shrimp Salad Puff.
Appetizers & Finger Food
Nothing says picnic like deviled eggs. Try them classed up with our Deviled Crab Eggs recipe. If your outdoor meal is an evening affair, start things off right with Bruschetta with Anchovies (you can toast the Italian bread directly on the grill).
No matter what you choose to make, enjoy it! Crown Prince Seafood wishes you a very happy cookout.
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
Oysters – The Pearl of South Korean Seafood
As you recall, our Global Spotlight Series is currently in the vibrant lands of Southeast Asia—specifically China and South Korea. Last week we introduced our fellow sojourners to the rich history of seafood in China and the baby clams Crown Prince harvests there.
Shidao Chishan Temple in China (Photo by Dustan Hoffman / Crown Prince)
This week, we turn to South Korea and a favorite straight-out-of-the-can product: oysters (smoked and boiled).
South Korea’s Seafood Connection
With water surrounding three sides, the land that is today known as South Korea has always given its people a strong connection to the sea. In fact, for as much seafood as South Korea exports, its people still eat more than they sell. Seafood recipes are strongly held in local cultures.
Local Cuisine (Photo by Dustan Hoffman / Crown Prince)
The export side of seafood for this relatively young nation (established in 1948) is just part of its global success story. Since earning independence from the north just 63 years ago, South Korea has gone on to become “one of Asia’s most affluent countries.” We’re glad that our relationship with South Korean fisheries is part of this recovery for its people.
On to the Oysters
The oysters that we get from South Korea are harvested in carefully managed fisheries just near the seaside. From there, they’re immediately put on ice for transport to the packing facility. At that point, they are gently boiled or lightly smoked before being canned and making their way to our storage facilities, grocery store shelves, and your pantry!
Oysters harvested in South Korea (Photo by Dustan Hoffman / Crown Prince)
Crown Prince Boiled Oysters and Smoked Oysters are good for dinner, a quick snack, or both! We also recommend trying them out in a new recipe. A few of our favorites include:
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
Canned Fresh, Chinese Seafood Has a Long History
Many people in China consider eating seafood to be an act of good luck. In the seaside regions especially, you’ll find a rich collection of culinary traditions in which seafood is ever-present. Favored recipes rotate with the seasons, depending on what is freshest that time of year.
Crown Prince President Dustan Hoffman “suits up” for a factory visit in China.
During mid-spring, baby clams are in their prime, so this is our packing season for Smoked Baby Clams and Boiled Baby Clams alike. In fact, Crown Prince President Dustan Hoffman just returned from a trip to China. She rode along with the professional fishing boats that harvest our fresh clams and spent time meeting with the people who catch, prepare and can our products each year.
Caught Just Right, Cooked Just Right
Immediately upon harvest, Crown Prince Baby Clams are frozen in on-vessel freezers. They’re then taken back to the port and transported by freezer truck to the packing facility. There they are prepared (some boiled, others lightly smoked) then packed carefully into their cans. Because they are packed so soon after harvest, they retain their fresh flavor and texture naturally, with no additives.
Crown Prince Seafood Baby Clams
Baby clams are one of our most popular products. Once they’re shipped stateside and to your local grocer’s shelf, their journey is in your hands. From Cajun Clam Fritters to Cheesy Clam Chowder (how’s that for alliteration?), the delicious destinations of Boiled and Smoked Baby Clams are endless.
Bon appétit! Or, in Cantonese: 食飯!
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