WHOLESAI£ DISmiBUTTON 



T^Tpa of Wholesalers and Products 



Two general types of irtiolesalers were interviewed in this study, 

 namely fish wholesalers and frozen food wholesalers* The latter group is 

 cop^sed of frozen food con^anies, dairies, wholesale grocers, produce 

 companies, and ice conpanles* These firms distribute frozen packaged fisb> 

 ery products in conjunction with numerous other frozen food iteaa. Whole- 

 salers engaged primarily in the canned fish business were excluded. 



Estimated total fish sales by Pacific Coast firms (mar^ of which 

 sell nationally) exceeded $169 BUlion in 1955* Fresh fish sales accounted 

 for about 39 percent of the total, and frozen packaged fish and shellfish 

 for about 28 percent* Smoked fish was only about 3 percent and frozen whole 

 fish equaled about 21 percent* 



Twelve percent of the frozen packaged fishery products (by dollar 

 volime) sold by the West Coast fish wholesalers originated in areas other 

 than the Pacific Coast, A much larger percentage of the ftxjzen fishery 

 products sold by frozen food wholesalers came from other areas* It ranged 

 from 56 percent in Washington to 37 percent in California and 31 percent 

 in Oregon* Shrimp, scallops, and fishsticks were the most iiiQx>rtant 

 products purchased from other areas* 



"Not available locally" accounted for more than one-half of the 

 reasons given for purchasing ft'om other regions* One-fifth of the reasons 

 given was that these products were cheaper, Ihe tendency to buy from areas 

 outside of the Pacific Coast was continuing and was expected to increase 

 in the future* 



Between 36 and 38 percent of the liresh and frozen fish sold by 

 wholesalers went to retail stores* Twenty-one percent went to institu'U.ons 

 such as restaurants, hotels, hospitals, etc* About 39 percent of the fresh 

 and 29 percent of the frozen fish were sold to other idiolesalers* 



Services Offered 



Jfost wholesalers offered delivery service daily or twice weekly, 

 but not to all customers* f^esh fish deliveries were made along special 

 routes (up to $0 miles) in noninsulated trucks but with the fish iced* 

 Frozen packaged fish conmonly was delivered in insulated trucks with 

 mechanical refrigeration equipment* However, a substantial percentage of 

 the local deliveries of all fish was made from trucks without any refriger- 

 ation* This practice allows some thawing of the product t^ich is detri- 

 mental to quality — particularly when fish is refrozen prior to sale* 



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