JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Northern Florida’s Gate gas stations has partnered with a local fishery to introduce quality frozen seafood to its stores, as part of its ongoing effort to offer healthier foods to store customers.  According to an article in the Jacksonville Business Journal, Gate is offering Beaver Street Fisheries food brand Sea Best frozen single-serve seafood dinners in its convenience stores, beginning with a pilot program at three Jacksonville-area locations.

Gate will be selling Signature Singles "Gourmet on the Go" frozen meals in five varieties, including citrus scallops and linguini, stuffed clams, black bean and shrimp tacos, tilapia Florentine, and spinach and artichoke flounder.

In a statement, Gate President John Peyton emphasized the importance of the meals fitting in with Gate's customer base, explaining "Sea Best is known for its quality and convenience, which was a perfect match for our stores.”

Roger Denmark, research and development manager for Sea Best, said the products are geared toward young, healthy-minded people on the go. "You wouldn't think of seafood items in a convenience store like Gate," he told the publication. "But you see more and more pick-up meals in vending machines. And especially in the younger generation, they're more health conscious than the generation before."

Gate and Sea Best will get customer feedback and sales input to determine if the products are successful in the three pilot stores. And if the meals are successful, they could expand to other Gate stores, and perhaps to other convenience retailers.

"We'll stay with [convenience] store application to start and see what kind of foot traffic it generates," Denmark said.