FreshDirect seafood merchants Michael Kanter and Brittney Bullock recently traveled to Chios, Greece to see for themselves how our partners at Nireus Aquaculture provide FreshDirect with the highest-quality Mediterranean fish. Read on to learn more about how Nireus has perfected their methods of sustainable farming and how they greeted Michael and Brittney with a warm Greek welcome.

The remote Greek island of Chios sits at the edge of the Aegean Sea where the waters are crystal clear and free of human activity. This is the home of the branzino, dorade and tai snapper we source from our partner Nireus Aquaculture.

For 30 years, Nireus has perfected their methods of sustainable farming by prioritizing the health of the environment first. They're able to preserve the natural landscape while providing a premium-quality product to customers by minimizing their impact on the waters the fish inhabit and mastering the proper care for these species.

From hatchery to harvest, Nireus owns each step of the process, ensuring complete quality control so the fish reach our dock just as fresh as the day they were caught. A team of biologists manages their growth daily until they are big enough to be moved into the open-ocean pens. Within a few hours of harvest, the fish are sent to Nireus-owned processing facilities to be packed and shipped off to the airport, arriving in New York the next day.

We traveled to Chios to spend a week with the team to see their operation firsthand, further solidifying FreshDirect's partnership of 5 years and counting. Our relationship is built on more than our mutual love for the fish they raise, and that we proudly offer, but also on the countless meals we've enjoyed together, sharing experiences and learning from each other.

Each day, we sat at long tables covered with dishes of local seafood prepared in the Greek traditions, including oven-roasted branzino, dorade and tai snapper, slices of lemon on the side for serving, with the fragrance of fresh herbs rising from the plates.

Through our strong partnership with Nireus, we're able to share these beloved Mediterranean fish with our customers, delivered right to their door, so they, too can create their own meals to remember.