About Effing Seafoods

Learn more about us and what we do!

The
Effing Story

If you’ve been around me for any length of time at all, you’ll know that this is a very important part of my life. Knowing where your food comes from — whether we’re talking delicious seafood or some fantastic Alberta beef — is important!

I’ve been in and around the fishing industry all my life. My dad was a commercial fisherman and I’ve known the people I get my seafood from for a large portion of my life. When I say that my products are “one step from the water”, I truly mean it! We buy seafood directly from the primary producers who buy directly from the boats who catch the fish. (Federal regulations does not allow me to buy right off the boat or else I would — everything they catch has to go through a federally regulated, registered and inspected processing plant to ensure the quality of the seafood.)

Effing Seafoods was a dream long before it came to fruition in October of 2015. My original dream was to start this on Vancouver Island where I grew up but oil field brought me to Alberta for a short seafood break. Quickly, I fell in love with Edmonton but especially the community here. On October 1, 2015, I saw my opportunity and jumped over board in such a good way.

Prior to my short oil field career I spent eleven years oyster farming on the West Coast of Vancouver Island in a place called Effingham Inlet. I produced the Effingham Inlet Oyster, of which I shipped all over North America and that helped grow my logistical knowledge. Through my exploration of early social media I created the Effing Brand. I built the brand around the oyster and myself and quickly became the Effing Oyster Guy in early 2011. My excitement and passion for Social Media has opened many doors including the barn door to Alberta. 

Upon launching my new adventure in Edmonton, I was quickly received by Edmonton chefs and the food community where I supplied some high end restaurants and attended farmer’s markets. My growth as a small business owner flourished in this environment. Chefs and market attendees alike helped me grow as a person and seafood purveyor with aligned passions and food philosophies. 

The goal was always to have brick and mortar but we needed a path to get there which brings us to the Fish Club. In October of 2018, we opened the Market on Riel and the great pandemic of 2020 led us to our newest adventure of Effing Fresh.

Sincerely,

 

Effing Rob

Head Seafood Dude

Meet The Effing Team

Krystal Hartwell
Head Fun Maker

Krystal has come a long way from her humble non-seafood related beginnings to become our Head Fun Maker at Effing Seafoods. She is constantly helping the company grow and jumps in wherever is needed. The Head Fun Maker position is a “Jill of All Trades” where she offers personal shopping experiences at the Market, helps with office admin, our website and generally whatever is required to keep Rob’s dream alive. Always a smile on her face and a valuable asset to the Effing Seafoods Team.

What We Do!!

#effinglove Fish Club

The Fish Club started after my second fall when outdoor farmer’s markets closed for the season. I created a package that was delivered to homes on a monthly schedule. The response we received from a curated package led to so much growth in the company. Many of these OG’s are still members. This has since evolved into the FISH CLUB. The current version is a flexible monthly Frozen subscription across most of Alberta. We offer a build your own option to the folks that know what they want and a variety of packages that we curate for the adventurous crowd of Effing Fans. Want in on the action? CLICK HERE

The Market on Riel

We fill our displays with fresh seafood from all over Canada and the globe, carefully chosen to provide our customers with the best quality available. We believe visiting our store should be a memorable experience, that’s why every customer engagement is a personal one where storytelling is encouraged. We want to get to know you! Providing great service means having knowledgeable people behind the counter. We train our staff thoroughly in operations and history, so that not only can they present you with quality products, they can tell you it’s story.

Effing Fresh

Effing Fresh is our latest expansion for delivery service. This has a greater range of products but a smaller delivery range. Check out our SERVICE AREA to see if you fit in but don’t worry as you can use this option for curbside pickup at the Market on Riel. We are extremely excited about the Effing Fresh VIP Subscription that launched in April 2021. This package is curated by Effing Rob and combines all the great products we offer at the Market on Riel. This service can be picked or delivered to your door. 

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