Let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. How did your company get started and why?

We launched our company in 2016 in Tabasco, Mexico to take the invasive “pez diablo” or devil fish and turn it into delicious and healthy snacks. The devil fish is a serious problem in Mexico where it now accounts for over 70% of freshwater capture, decimating the small-scale fishing industry on which tens of thousands of fishermen depend. Initially, the project focused on distributing the fish locally and running local workshops but we soon realized that because of the devil fish’s mild flavor and firm texture, it would make for good jerky. Looking at the landscape, a jerky company made sense for us to maximize the scale and impact turning what was once a scourge into a valuable resource of clean protein.

What is your product and how would you describe it?

We make El Diablito Jerky.

Because of the fish’s mild flavor and firm texture, it tastes just like beef and makes for delicious jerky! We work with artisan jerky-makers in the US and Canada to ensure that every batch delivers a protein-dense snack perfect for our customers’ next road trip, work out or just plain munching.

How have you pivoted your business this year?

Mostly, we have been forced to do all of our outreach online where we had planned to make connections at conferences and actively sell the product through sample distribution. That has certainly slowed down our expansion into the Canadian retail market and turned our business into more of a DTC, online model which took about 6 months to figure out.

What is your next challenge to overcome?

We need to get USDA approval of our fish so that we can bring our jerky into the United States and tap into our home market.

What do you predict for the food industry over the rest of the year?

I’m not sure I expect any especially momentous change. More competition in the alternative protein space for sure as the industry continues to mature.

Learn more at: https://acarifish.com/