2021. A year of slippery moments wedged between hope, uncertainty and surrender — but for us, one that was also undeniably wrapped with deep love and gratitude. The year was transformative in so many new ways for myself, my family, and for the fish family we’ve cultivated with Wild Alaskan Company — which I’m proud and honored to say includes you.
Even though our family was still hunkered down in the second year of the pandemic, transformation — like the tiniest sprout of green that manages to burst through a crack in the pavement — still found a way. We saw amazing growth. We shared experiences that celebrated togetherness. We got cooking in so many new and exciting ways — and each season brought its own unique flavors, challenges and triumphs:
WINTER
In January, as the winter sun lit up the snow during those sacred little slivers of daylight, our son took his first steps in Homer, Alaska, in a spot known as “the end of the road.” Steps that bridged him from baby to boyhood, establishing his momentum toward curiosity, discovery and exploration.
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And as Wild Alaskan Company also grew, we took a deep dive into the heart of the brand and discovered what makes us special (unsurprisingly, it’s the fish and, you, the members)
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When Bristol Bay was threatened by Pebble Mine, we funded research to help better understand what makes this ecosystem so essential.
SPRING
At the start of spring, when the baby moose began their timid scampers on still-frozen lawns, Arron, our son and I moved into the cabin that we built — reimagined from Arron’s own childhood in Homer, Alaska. To call it home was an understatement.
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We connected with the natural cycles of Alaska and its deep responsibility to sustaining its ecosystems: What it Means to Honor a Supply Driven Food System
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And most critically, Wild Alaskan Company became a Public Benefit Corporation, which allows us to focus on our mission as a company to accelerate humanity’s transition to sustainable food systems.
SUMMER
After months apart, like many others we were able to at last see some of our relatives. And during the beloved months when clusters of purple lupin flowers dance in the Alaskan summer winds, what started as a visit from Arron’s sister quickly turned into an impromptu, but full-on, Kallenberg family reunion, replete with so many delicious meals that our home was more like a bistro than a cabin.
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We brought the family boat, the Mary K, from Bristol Bay to Homer, and got to experience our first summer on the sea with our son; three generations of Kallenbergs on the water was a special sight to behold.
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CNN came to Alaska and profiled Wild Alaskan Company as a part of their Start Small Think Big series, and the clip hit home for viewers what it means to be a supply-driven company focused on sustainability and stewardship.
AUTUMN
And then came Autumn with its sweet reminders of cycles and changes, with dustings of snow that whispered their invitation to winter. A time to revel in the notion of hearth and home, turning inward to root down and create a deep sense of foundation.
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Throughout the year, we almost doubled in size as a team. Many of these additions joined the member experience team as part of our ongoing effort to provide the Wild Alaskan fish family with the best experience possible.
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We launched Lingcod to our members as an entirely new whitefish species and offering — and it sold out in just THREE HOURS!
Throughout the year we’ve worked hard to truly live our mission of transitioning to sustainable food systems and fostering deep meaningful relationships between human beings, wild seafood, and the planet.
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Sustainability: We’ve reduced our already low number of air shipments by 40% and decreased overall box transit time by nearly 10%. This means your box has a more direct route to your house, and it needs less packaging, less dry ice, and the delivery process has a smaller carbon footprint.
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Stewardship: We introduced six new products to diversify our membership offerings, and to utilize our fish in a more sustainable way with less waste.
For these efforts and the work we’ve done since the inception of our company to keep our sourcing and shipments as sustainable as possible, we were named one of Food Logistics’ 2021 Top Green Providers.
So, here we are on the precipice of 2022, still wrangling the spaces between hope, uncertainty and surrender — but forever charging forward with that same trusted compass made of deep gratitude and love.
I wish you and yours a healthy, happy and peaceful new year, and as always, I look forward to staying connected.
Live Wild!
Monica
