Cleanfish, hooking finicky gourmands

SAN FRANSISCO - As a consultant to Oakland-based Niman Ranch and adviser to some of its executives and board members, Tim O'Shea had a front-row seat as founder Bill Niman built a $100 million business selling premium natural beef.

Now O'Shea is on his way to reeling in some success of his own, applying Niman Ranch's branding strategy to the world of fish.

Just as Niman Ranch capitalized on consumer concerns about Mad Cow Disease, livestock hormones and animal cruelty, O'Shea's firm CleanFish swims in a market upset over mercury poisoning, overfishing and the environmental effects of fish farms.

And just as consumers have proven willing to pay more for beef that's a cut above, they can also be baited with better quality haddock and bass.

Source: San Francisco Business Times