We Lived Wilder Than Ever This Year (and More Reflections from 2025)

As the year draws to a close, I find myself in a familiar Alaska state of mind — reflective of another year gone by, and energized by the unlimited potentiality that lies ahead. 

When I squint my eyes, blurring together everything we’ve accomplished this year, it becomes quite clear to me that Wild Alaskan Company continues to be shaped by people — by fishers, by the WAC team, and by you, dear members. If I take away a single thing from this year, it’s this special, ineffable energy of our connectedness.

But in the spirit of this end-of-year newsletter, allow me to gush over some of the team’s favorite 2025 moments.

We Lived Wilder Than Ever

One of the most meaningful highlights was bringing the WAC team together in Bristol Bay, where Arron’s (WAC founder + CEO) family’s commercial fishing story began, nearly a century ago. While there are so many incredible times and places in Alaska, summer in Bristol Bay gives one the distinct feeling of being rooted deeply on this Earth yet intrinsically connected to the cosmos, all at once. Bringing a sizable group to such a remote region of Alaska was no small task, but we were rewarded with life-changing experiences, gathered in the place that anchors so much of the company’s purpose. We broke bread and shared stories on the banks of the Naknek River. We encountered bears at Katmai National Park. We inhabited the vibrant ecosystem that sustains Alaska’s salmon runs. 

Traveling far beyond the bounds of Arron’s hometown of Homer, Alaska, has become increasingly precious as our kids get older, too. This year, Arron and I were able to bring them to towns and landscapes and harbors across the vast expanse of this state. It’s been incredible to watch them experience the places that have shaped our family and this company. The kids even got to accompany us on a commercial fishing vessel out on the water in Bristol Bay, alongside some of their cousins. It was an incredible way to create shared experiences across generations, passing on the legacy of sustainability to the next generation of our family.

We Let Food and Fisherfolk Tell the Story of the Seasons

Food is a compelling storyteller. So this year, we let it tell the story of Alaska’s seasons through a collaboration with Alaskan chef Mandy Dixon of Tutka Bay Lodge. Chef Mandy’s writing and recipes brought Alaska’s flavors, landscapes, and rhythms to life across an entire cycle of seasons — winter, spring, summer, and fall. As it so happens, Tutka Bay Lodge is right across the bay from Homer, so every time I make one of Chef Mandy’s recipes, it feels like I’m borrowing a page from a neighbor’s cookbook.

There’s Finally a Cookbook On the Way

Speaking of cookbooks, I announced the arrival of Eat Wild: Cooking at Home with the Seafood of Alaska, coming to print very, very soon. It’s a couple months behind schedule, but the book is officially heading to print in January 2026. For me, it’s been a multi-year labor of love and of legacy, so I cannot wait to share it with you! Knowing how many of you pre-ordered and have been eagerly waiting means more than I can say. I realize that some of you missed the email that we sent out regarding the delay, so if you have any questions about the status of your order, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email. Thank you — truly — for your patience and enthusiasm.

Embracing More Ways to Enjoy More Seafood, More Often

Through more offerings, we continued to expand how Wild Alaskan Company shows up in your kitchens. This year brought delectable options like pre-seasoned halibut burgers and pre-marinated portions of fish, plus a couple of ready-to-eat smoked offerings that have given me more seafood-snacking opportunities throughout the week. If you haven’t had a chance to try any of these new offerings yet, you might like ordering a curation of them as a Limited Time Box. 

A lot of these innovations are rooted in what you’ve been craving as members. The WAC team is constantly inspired by your culinary enthusiasm and input, which guides us as we innovate in the kitchen. It’s a key way for us as a company to honor wild-caught seafood from Alaska by making it approachable, versatile, and truly part of everyday life. Expect more delicious offerings in the year ahead. 

Wild-Caught Seafood? There’s an App for That! 

While Wild Alaskan Company is rooted in very real, tangible elements (nature, communities, food — in other words, all the essentials of life), we’re also a company that is rooted in technology. 

In fact, Arron often insists that we’re not just a seafood company. We’re also a tech-enabled logistics company because of the way that WAC was built — to efficiently bring nourishing, fresh-frozen Alaskan seafood right to your doorstep. So with that in mind, I want to shamelessly plug the Wild Alaskan Company app, through which you can save your favorite recipes, manage your orders from your phone or tablet, swipe through the latest specials… in case you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can do that right here.

A New Online Seafood Market

And just as the year is drawing to a close, I am so pleased to celebrate the most significant evolution of your WAC membership yet: a brand new Seafood Market. It’s a better, infinitely flexible way to shop for wild-caught Alaskan seafood through your WAC account, whether you’re on the site or on the WAC app. If you want seven packs of weathervane scallops and nothing else? We can arrange that! If you want a box built entirely around sablefish and sockeye? Absolutely, why not? 

Having more ways to customize your plan ensures that your WAC box can adapt to the way you eat from season to season — while continuing to honor the sustainable, supply-driven food system that inspires the WAC mission. Log into your account to start dreaming up a new box for the new year! 

Here’s to another year of connection, evolution, and celebration through wild-caught Alaskan seafood. 

Live Wild,

Monica

Pictured above: A quiet moment on the harbor in Homer, Alaska, set against the soft light of winter.