Company: The Plant Based Seafood Co., Gywnn's Island, VA
Nomination Submitted by: Mind Blown Plant Based Seafood Co.
Company Description: An all female, family-owned company that knows first-hand the positive impact plant based seafood can have on the ocean as we came from the seafood industry! Our passion lies in seeing our oceans THRIVE, and our team is on a mission to re-create the 'complete seafood-lovers' experience' without the sacrifice using only a handful of healthy plant-based ingredients. We are the foods-of-the-furture.
Nomination Category: Company/Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Startup of the Year - Consumer Products Industries
 Nomination Title: The Plant Based Seafood Co.
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2020 of the nominated organization, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the appropriate spaces below:
- Briefly describe the nominated organization: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 198 words used.
In 2001, Shelly purchased established Capt. Jack’s Crab Shack, and with her daughter Monica, began selling high-quality, super fresh seafood caught right outside their door in the Chesapeake Bay.
This led to creating The Van Cleve Seafood Co. in 2013, which started as a restaurant and grew to be an online business selling their famous Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Pie that landed on Oprah's Favorite List.
During this time, Monica and Shelly became increasingly aware of serious issues with the global fishing industry, particularly with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices from non-domestic mega ships. With their extensive seafood experience, they decided to take action by launching a plant-based seafood company to take pressure off the world’s oceans.
Working alongside the watermen with whom they have decades-long relationships, they traded in jumbo crab stuffed-prawns for the Asian root vegetable konjac, as well as kelp, seaweed, and artichoke-based plant products, and founded Mind Blown on Gwynn's Island in the Chesapeake Bay in 2020.
Mind Blown has quickly been recognized as the leader in the alternative seafood space, and again with Monica as CEO, has continuously expanded in grocery stores, professional sports arenas, and fine-dining restaurants across the country.
- Outline the organization's achievements since July 1 2020 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 154 words used.
Leveraging decades of experience creating award winning gourmet seafood experiences, Mind Blown now creates delicious 1:1 replications of real seafood using 100% plants. Mind Blown has attracted investment from Celebrity Chefs Spike Mendelshon and 8 times James Beard Award Recipient and Host of Bravo’s Top Chef, Tom Colicchio.
In less than 2 years, PBSC’s products have been awarded:
'Most Innovative/Disruptive Product’ by Prepared Foods’ Spirit of Innovation Awards 2020
“Favorite New Vegan Meat Meat’ by PETA’s Libby Awards 2020
‘Best Plant Based Seafood’ award from Mindful Awards 2021 & 2022
‘Best Plant Based Seafood Product’ of the year at the World Plant Based Awards 2021
‘Best Plant Based Product’ of the Year at the World Food Innovation Awards 2022
‘Best New Frozen Product’ NEXTY Awards 2022
Today, their lineup includes Mind Blown Coconut Shrimp, Dusted Scallops, Crab Cakes and Mind Blown Crab Cakes that are launching Sprouts nationwide, as well as food service.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 89 words used.
Mind Blown by The Plant Based Seafood Co., is recognized as the leader in the alternative seafood space, and again with Monica as CEO, has continuously expanded in grocery stores, professional sports arenas, and fine-dining restaurants across the country. Monica was named a “Top 10 Women Saving the Ocean” by Vegan Women Summit in 2021. They recently won ‘Best Plant-Based Seafood Product of the Year’ at the World Plant-Based Awards, and ‘Best New Frozen Product’ at the New Hope Network 2022 Expo West NEXTY Awards for their Dusted Scallops.
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 171 words used.
Unlike other plant-based seafoods, Mind Blown products are all soy free and palm oil free. Lead product developer Shelly created the lineup with a foundation of the mainstream food that consumers are familiar with such as brown rice, organic coconut, lime crystals, lemon oils, celery, paprika and parsley. PBSC’s high-quality, savory seafoods deliver distinctive flavor notes from the sea, thanks in part to seaweed and kelp from cold Maine waters – with taste and texture complexity that replicates traditional seafood offerings – all with a clean, non-allergenic ingredient list. All of Mind Blown products are gluten-free with the exception of the Crab Cakes.
Innovation is at the forefront of Mind Blown product development. Mind Blown products are foods-of-the-future, and the team is on a mission to recreate the complete seafood-lovers experience using single-cell proteins and fungi to re-create the ocean’s delicacies. At their Innovation Kitchen on Gwynn's Island, they develop and test new products and ingredients. Their taste-testing feedback is from seafood-loving islanders that know real seafood, which sets them apart!
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