A Century of Great Taste, Quality and Variety
Chicken of the Sea’s history dates back nearly a century, when fishermen referred to the white albacore tuna as “Chicken of the Sea” because the white color and very mild flavor reminded them of chicken. Since 1952, the Chicken of the Sea brand and iconic Mermaid logo have been known worldwide.
Consumers have come to know Chicken of the Sea as synonymous with health, nutrition and convenience through the variety of seafood products (tuna, salmon, and specialty seafood) the company provides. Providing consumers these three values — health, nutrition and convenience — are the company’s hallmarks and standards by which Chicken of the Sea ensures confidence among consumers.
Ensuring a healthy supply of seafood for future generations and the protection of dolphin are imperative to both Chicken of the Sea and its consumers. To ensure the preservation of the environment, Chicken of the Sea vigorously supports high standards of stewardship and management.
Key Dates in Company History:
1914
Van Camp Seafood Company (now known as Chicken of the Sea International) is founded..
1917
Chicken of the Sea (formerly Van Camp Seafood Company) became the first cannery to commercially pack yellowfin tuna.
1960s
1984
Chicken of the Sea was the first to introduce Boneless & Skinless Canned Salmon.
1996
Chicken of the Sea is the first seafood brand to voluntarily incorporate the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) program, designed to protect consumers from foodborne illness and ensure food safety into its canned tuna processing facility.
2002
Becoming the first in the industry to do so, Chicken of the Sea introduced Boneless & Skinless Salmon in convenient foil pouches.
Chicken of the Sea celebrated the 50th anniversary of its brand icon, the Mermaid, with a 50th Mermaid Anniversary Recipe Contest.
2003
Long before the term “social media” became fashionable, Chicken of the Sea developed The Mermaid Club, an online program for consumers.
2005
The seafood company announces Chicken of the Sea Smoked Pacific Salmon, a gourmet, real-wood-smoked filet in a convenient, ready-to-eat 3-ounce foil pouch.
2006
Meeting consumers’ desires for convenient and portion-controlled meals and snacks, Chicken of the Sea introduced 2.8-ounce, no-draining required “peel-and-eat” cups in chunk light tuna, chunk white tuna and salmon.
2007
Chicken of the Sea expands its Genova brand of premium, Italian–style tuna.
With only 20 percent of Americans consuming the USDA-recommended amount of seafood, Chicken of the Sea and Feeding America (formerly named America’s Second Harvest) partner to provide seafood to America's hungry and educate the public about the health benefits it provides.
2008
Chicken of the Sea introduces Healthy Selections tuna pouches – the newest addition to Chicken of the Sea’s line of convenient, shelf-stable seafood–an excellent source of much–needed nutrients, such as heart–healthy omega–3 fatty acids, protein and vitamin D, as well as a natural source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Chicken of the Sea no-draining required “peel and eat” cups receive Cooking Pleasures Seal of Approval
The Mermaid Jingle Jam, an online and interactive contest, gave consumers the opportunity to come up with their own 30- to 90-second jingle that incorporated Chicken of the Sea’s original lyrics and the contestant's verse into a new format — a music video. Grand prize included $100,000 worth of seafood to the winner's hometown Feeding America food bank.
Oklahoma woman and 4-year-old son win Mermaid Jingle Jam contest with memorable music video. Due to overwhelming consumer response to contest submissions, Chicken of the Sea awards $25,000 worth of seafood each to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, Inc.
2009
To continue spreading the word about the healthful and nutritious benefits of its line of shelf-stable seafood, Chicken of the Sea partnered with Mark Burnett Productions and NBC on the second season of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Celebrities were tasked with replicating The Mermaid Jingle Jam, coming up with a new jingle while incorporating the original lyrics.
Annie Duke and Brande Roderick’s jingle and radio spot was declared the winner. Here’s the entry by team of Clint Black, Joan Rivers and Jesse James. The May 2009, two-hour episode was rated the most effective product placement for the year by iTVX.
Chicken of the Sea’s Celebrity Apprentice Challenge tested the business savvy of consumers through a seafood-inspired contest awarding one grand-prize winner a trip to New York for the live broadcast of Celebrity Apprentice.
Tommy Tuna, aka “Mr. Chicken of the Sea,” a character created by San Jose advertising student Benjamin Hernandez, won the grand prize in Chicken of the Sea’s Apprentice Challenge. Check out Tommy Tuna’s experience in New York, including his interviews with celebrities on the red carpet. Clint Black was a great sport.
Chicken of the Sea brings canning operations back to the U.S. with the opening of a new facility in Lyons, Ga.
2010
Chicken of the Sea launches SuperCook and asks consumers to turn simple dishes into super meals for a chance to win $10,000, be featured on product packaging and appear on national television.
2011
The Chicken of the Sea Mermaid gets a new look and stars in the company's integrated marketing campaign featuring a series of online videos and radio commercials that brought her to life as an animated and talking character. In addition to commercials, the Mermaid also came to life via Chicken of the Sea's Facebook and Twitter profiles..
2012
The Chicken of the Sea Mermaid is celebrating her 60th birthday this year through a fun, interactive contest called 60s & Sensational, which is looking to find other people in their 60s who are leading sensational lives..