umaf44•2d ago

Switched to a new fish supplier in Portland and my ceviche sales doubled

For years I bought fish from the same big distributor, and my ceviche was just okay. It sold maybe ten orders a night. Then about four months ago, a small boat dock guy in Portland started delivering. The fish is caught that morning, not two days old. The difference in texture is huge. It's firmer, sweeter, and holds the citrus cure without getting mushy. I started putting 'day-boat halibut' on the menu and the price went up by three dollars. Now we sell out of twenty orders before 8 PM. Has anyone else seen a single ingredient upgrade make that big of a jump in a dish?

2 comments

2 Comments

jaden692d agoTop Commenter

Ever think about how much the story itself sells the dish? People love knowing their food has a real backstory, not just a factory invoice. That "day-boat" tag does half the marketing for you.

allen.cole2d ago

Totally get that. I had the same thing happen with a simple caprese salad. Was using those plastic-wrapped grocery store mozzarella logs for years, and it was just a filler side dish. Switched to fresh mozzarella from a local dairy that makes it daily, the kind that comes in a little tub of water. The texture and creaminess is a whole different world. Started calling it out on the menu, charged two bucks more, and it went from maybe five orders a lunch shift to our top selling starter. People can taste the real difference when you stop cutting that one corner.