When I think about the beauty of Wild Alaskan Company, which my husband Arron (WAC founder + CEO) and I often lovingly refer to as our first-born, there are so many of its attributes that make me proud.
Of course, there’s the core of it, which is the task of making wild Alaskan seafood accessible to Americans across all fifty states. And there’s our mission: to help accelerate humanity’s transition to sustainable food systems by fostering meaningful, interconnected relationships between human beings, wild seafood and the planet. But there’s one particular element of Wild Alaskan that not only makes me proud, but also fills me with absolute joy:
Community.
That’s right, I bolded it and placed it on its own line on purpose. This is because to me, community holds its own role of import in all that we do. There’s the WAC community itself, composed of you, beloved members. There’s the community of our teammates who come together each day in the face of the above mission. There’s the Alaskan community, whose ethos and way of life inspire our vision. And the global community at large, which will hopefully benefit as humanity does transition to more sustainable food systems.
In this way, community is very much the glue that holds not only WAC together, but also the betterment of the whole planet. This dynamic matrix of humans across and beyond the supply chain, knowingly or not, anchors us to the essence of our motivation, a chain link of intention that strengthens as it grows.
And with community comes shared responsibility, as well as shared experiences, the latter of which is one of Wild Alaskan Company’s core values. On one hand, the pleasurable act of breaking bread in good company is in and of itself an elemental, shared experience. As it so happens, the word “company” is rooted in the etymology of the late Latin companio, which means "one who shares bread with you,” and it’s a word that holds multilayered meaning for us as a company, fish family, and team. It’s also why Arron intentionally did not choose the name “Wild Alaskan Corporation.”
But breaking bread together is a greater metaphor for community, a collective punctuating moment in the course of our days. As a community, there’s also the shared experience of harvesting, preserving, and preparing a meal. Partaking in this work is an opportunity to teach and to learn — essential for maintaining resilient bonds with one another. Seeing this through the lens of Alaskan fisheries, teaching and learning is integral to building a better, more resilient food system.
From my seat at the Wild Alaskan Company table, I truly believe that this give and take of teaching and learning is integral in sustaining a vibrant, connected membership. With that, I hope to create shared experiences with you, our members, by sparking conversation about the difference between wild seafood and farmed fish. To introduce you to the fishing families and skilled team members behind every portion of seafood in your WAC box. To celebrate the benefits of wild Alaskan seafood to the environment, our health and to the wild fish populations. And, of course, to share insights and inspiration about how to make that happen in the most delectable and interesting ways.
So, here’s to community, the glue of our essence, the core of our cause. May our collective connectedness to the cycles of land and sea — and to one another — forever lead the way.
Live Wild!
Monica
Pictured above: A group of WAC teammates and Kallenberg family members enjoying a bonfire and s’mores, after an epic team seafood bake this past summer on the shores of Kachemak Bay. A vast swath of generations, skill sets, backgrounds, stories and personalities all woven together by love and respect.
