Becca Millstein, co-founder and CEO of Fishwife, is on a mission to redefine canned fish in North America. Her journey from a student in Spain to launching Fishwife is a story of discovery, passion, and innovation. My recent conversation with her sheds light on how Fishwife is making canned seafood exciting again.

You're wandering through a Spanish market, surrounded by vibrant colors and enticing aromas. Suddenly, you stumble upon a display of beautifully packaged tinned fish. It's a far cry from the bland, uninspiring cans you grew up with. This was Becca Millstein's lightbulb moment.

Fast forward to 2020, and Becca found herself, like many of us, eating a lot more canned goods. But her mind kept drifting back to that Spanish market. Why was tinned fish in America so... boring?

"It's a nearly $5 billion category," Becca explained, her voice filled with disbelief. "And it hadn't undergone any innovation at all."

That's when Fishwife was born. But bringing gourmet tinned fish to American tables wasn't as simple as opening a can.

"You can't hack this in your kitchen," Becca laughed. Unlike other food startups that can test recipes at farmer's markets, Fishwife faced a daunting challenge: minimum orders of 25,000 to 100,000 units from overseas canneries.

Undeterred, Becca took a leap of faith. "I spent half of my life savings on that first batch of fish," she admitted. It was a risky move, but one that paid off.

Fishwife didn't just introduce new products; they sparked a movement. Through clever branding and a focus on culinary applications, they've transformed tinned fish from a forgotten pantry staple to a gourmet sensation.

"We've done a really good job with content and recipe content," Becca shared proudly. "Getting people to understand that they can use tinned fish in three meals a day."

But Fishwife's success isn't just about pretty packaging. Becca's approach to product development is methodical and data-driven. From market research to customer surveys and collaborations with culinary tastemakers, every new product is carefully considered.

"We survey our existing customer base, and then we survey a gen pop base," Becca explained. This attention to detail helps Fishwife minimize risks in a notoriously tough industry.

As Fishwife expands into national retail, Becca faces new challenges. But her enthusiasm is infectious. "My goal is for Fishwife to be the Ben & Jerry's of seafood," she grinned.

With a growing team and ambitious plans, Becca remains focused on cultivating a positive work culture. "I really do think of them as founders of their own individual businesses," she said of her team.

From a Spanish market to Whole Foods shelves, Fishwife's journey is far from over. But one thing's for sure: tinned fish will never be boring again.

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