Cooperative reels in interest with potential seafood sales

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

The Kodiak Harvest Food Cooperative is trying to expand its business plan into selling seafood.

The group formed in 2016, following a community gathering the year before which pinpointed a need for “a food co-op with [a] local focus supported by community gardens, local seafood” and “celebrated with an annual festival.” The group has been entertaining the idea of selling fish to its members for a while now.

That’s part of what Tyler Kornelis talked about at the co-op’s annual meeting Thursday night.

Kornelis, who sits on the co-op board of directors, spoke to members at the Afognak building on Near Island. He said the cooperative is in conversation with Icicle Seafoods in Larsen Bay.

“We’ve got a potential opportunity this year to sell case lots of both pink salmon and red salmon. Now, a lot of people I know go and subsist fish themselves and can it, but for those that may not, is this something that you’d be interested in purchasing on a case lot basis?”

Organizers asked members to sign a sheet to gauge interest.

Kornelis also spoke about some the goals for the cooperative, including finding a staff member who can do regular outreach to potential members. The cooperative has been trying to sell shares in order to establish a community store and is currently at about 340 members. Its target number is 500 members.