Lent becomes a feeding frenzy when it comes to fish fries.
Tons of breaded or beer-battered cod and haddock are consumed in Southwestern Pennsylvania during the 40-day holiday period in which Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays leading to Easter.
Imperial-based wholesaler Nappies Food Service exports to churches and restaurants within a 100-mile radius of its facility. Last year during Lent, the company ordered about 400,000 pounds of cod, 50,000 pounds of haddock and 27,000 pounds of pollock, said Dan Johnston, a buyer for the company.
This year, the company ordered 300,000 pounds of fish and plans to supplement that with another order if needed, Johnston said.
“We always go through the majority of everything,” he said.
Nappies’s sales this year rose 10% to $3.3 million, up from $2.9 million last year, for the first week of Lent. Johnston attributed that, in part, to the company’s overall growth in recent years.
On the national level, fish sales increase about 200% during Lent, according to Commodity Forwarders Inc., a Los Angeles-based global exporting company.
Roy Mazzoleni, owner of Remo’s Catering in the North Hills, preordered 2,000 pounds of fish for Lent, though he suspects his business will run through that supply soon.
“Momentum is growing (this year),” he said. “It’s a big Catholic thing.”
Remo’s sells between 400 and 500 one-pound fish sandwiches out of its Ross Township fresh market Fridays during the seven-week Lenten season.
At Mount St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in New Kensington, a typical Friday features 1,000 pounds of cod and 72 to 76 pounds of shrimp, said Jim “JR” Romanak, church department manager.
“Each year, we do better on sales,” Romanak said.
The church made $2,000 more in sales during its fish fry last Friday than during the first week of Lent last year, he said.
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Markle Volunteer Fire Department in Allegheny Township typically serves about 425 people each Friday, said fire Chief Matt Rearick.
“It’s very hectic, especially during the fish fry,” Rearick said. “It is usually nonstop.
“It’s one of our biggest fundraisers.”
Local grocers also prepare for the rush.
Golden Dawn in New Kensington sees an increase in fresh cod and salmon purchases during Lent, said Dick Pesci, the grocery’s meat department manager.
“We might sell 50 to 60 pounds,” he said. “It (sales) probably triples for the first three to four weeks.”
After that, he said, sales taper off a bit.
In Pittsburgh’s Strip District, fish sales — specifically cod and haddock — spike at Wholey’s Fish Market, said seafood manager John McNally.
“Our sales double for fish in Lent,” he said.
Churches and VFWs patronize the market for bulk seafood items, but McNally said the hot food section, which offers ready-to-serve meals, is the most popular destination.
Once the sourcing is complete, fish fries and restaurants are ready to churn out the dishes.
Gwen Moreland, owner of Morelands at Waterworks, said the South Greensburg eatery has a popular fish sandwich and seafood menu year-round. But when it comes to Lent, fish and seafood sales jump by as much as six or seven times, she said.
Even an establishment that specializes in Italian sausage gets into the act.
Del Vecchio’s, an Italian restaurant in Vandergrift, offers fish sandwiches and lobster rolls during Lent for walk-up or pre-order customers, said owner Ben Krason.
“Four o’clock on,” he said, “its very hectic.”