A Kirkland native, UW alumna and mom of two, Tina Montgomery has her work cut out for her.
In addition to the responsibilities that come along with school-aged kids – helping with homework, serving on the PTA and chauffeuring to and from various after school activities – she is the owner and co-president of Surfin Seafood, a local delivery service that brings fresh, flash-frozen seafood to the doorsteps around the greater Seattle area.
Surfin’s customers have the option of having a monthly delivery package with an assortment of seafood – prices range between $85 and $200 – or ordering on a need basis. With around 1,200 current customers, Montgomery estimates that they regularly visit about 150 houses during their monthly delivery rounds.
Founded five years ago when her 10-year-old daughter Lucy was in kindergarten, Montgomery said the idea for Surfin Seafood came from her husband, Mike, who ran a seafood distributorship at the time. It sold primarily to high-end grocery stores and restaurants.
“All of a sudden we were eating so much more fish than we ever had before and our diet was so healthy,” Montgomery said. “It made me wonder, gosh, why didn’t we eat more fish before? Then I realized it was because getting fresh fish was complicated. When you pick it up at the grocery store, you really need to cook it that night because it’s not good to let it sit around, and then you end up making so many more trips. You would have to be really organized about it, which is just a pain.”
The idea arose one night after Mike had brought fish home.
“He said, ‘You should deliver flash-frozen fish just like organic produce,'” she recalled. “At first, I thought it was a terrible idea, but then I thought it through some more and it grew on me. Then I found Jennifer [Hanseler] as my business partner and it sort of all came together, bit by bit.”
As for the name, Surfin Seafood, she has her now 12-year-old son Dillon to thank.
“He was only 7 at the time, and had this idea of a salmon on a surfboard as a logo,” she said. “Then he was like, oh you should name it ‘Surfing Salmon.’ We later changed it to Surfin Seafood, and that’s how it was born.”
Montgomery and Hanssler started slowly. They initially marketed to friends and family members, and seeing their positive reactions decided to expand.
“All of a sudden it just sort of snowballed from there and here we are now,” Montgomery said.
Growth on the Eastside has been the largest of all areas in the delivery region, she said, attributing this to the fact it’s probably harder to get quality, fresh seafood in the suburbs than in Seattle.
However, she said she hopes to grow Surfin Seafood across the map. Along with Hanseler, she has crafted a marketing plan for the 2009-10 year, which includes more of an Internet presence.
“We’re definitely trying to become more tech savvy, to reach new customers but also our existing ones,” she said. “We’ve got a good Web site, but we’re thinking of a Facebook group or a blog.”
Ultimately, Montgomery and Hanseler hope to expand Surfin Seafood, yet still keep it manageable for two active moms with kids in school. They designed the business around their current schedules, working around 30 hours during delivery week, and 15-20 hours per week during the rest of the month.
“What we have right now is fun, and it’s a perfect fit for us,” Montgomery said. “We love it because we feel like we can focus on the company and being moms. It’s the best of both worlds.”
For information, visit www.surfinseafood.com or call 425-821-1303
