Bringing C&H Fish Co. Online With a Custom eCommerce Website
A Family Business With a Big Legacy
C&H Fish Co. has been in the seafood business for generations. Known for their premium smoked salmon, they’ve built a reputation for quality and tradition that’s earned them a place on shelves at Costco, Whole Foods, and other major retailers.
But when it came to selling directly to customers online, their digital presence wasn’t living up to the standard of their brand. Their old website was generic, unpolished, and worst of all, the store functionality simply wasn’t working. For a company with such a strong story and such a beloved product, their online storefront wasn’t reflecting who they were.
They needed more than just a functional ecommerce site. They needed a site that captured their heritage, told their story, and encouraged customers across the U.S. to bring their salmon into their homes.
That’s where we came in.
The Challenge
When C&H Fish Co. approached us, they faced a few key challenges:
- Broken Ecommerce Store: Their old site’s cart and checkout were unreliable, frustrating customers and hurting sales.
- Generic Look & Feel: The design didn’t match their reputation for premium, sustainably sourced salmon.
- Unmanaged & Outdated: The site hadn’t been properly maintained, leaving it vulnerable and behind the curve.
- Missed Opportunity: With demand for direct-to-consumer seafood growing, they weren’t able to capture sales from customers beyond retail partners.
In short, their website wasn’t working for them — it was working against them.
Our Approach
Our goal was simple: create a beautiful, functional, and sales-focused website that not only solved their technical problems but also told their brand story.
We built the new site on WordPress and WooCommerce, giving them a stable foundation with full ecommerce capability. But this wasn’t just an “off-the-shelf” setup. We customized the experience every step of the way.
Here’s what we focused on:
- Custom Cart Flow: We reimagined the checkout experience, making it simple, fast, and intuitive. From product pages to cart to checkout, every step was designed to keep customers moving forward.
- Volume Discounts: Customers are rewarded for buying more with automatic discounts for quantity and bulk orders. This encourages larger purchases while giving C&H Fish Co. a tool to boost sales.
- Shipping Integration: We integrated a shipping platform directly into the store, making fulfillment smooth and accurate. Customers know exactly what to expect, and orders are processed without a hitch.
- Custom Recipe Pages: C&H Fish Co. wanted to share the many ways their salmon could be enjoyed. We designed a recipe layout that’s both visually appealing and easy for their team to update. It’s an educational resource and a subtle sales driver all at once.
- Conversion-Focused Design: Throughout the site, we added calls to action, best seller highlights, free shipping banners, and promotional messaging to keep customers engaged and ready to purchase.
Telling the Brand Story
For a company like C&H Fish Co., the website couldn’t just be about transactions. It needed to tell their story.
We built dedicated sections that highlight their:
- Family Tradition: The business is family-owned and built on a love for seafood and heritage.
- Sustainable Practices: Their salmon is wild-caught, sustainably harvested, and smoked with natural ingredients.
- Made in the USA Commitment: Every step of the process — from sourcing to smoking to packaging — happens right here in the U.S.
By weaving these elements into the site’s design and content, we gave visitors a reason to feel good about their purchase. Buying smoked salmon from C&H Fish Co. isn’t just a transaction; it’s supporting a family business with values that matter.
Design That Sells
A key part of this project was rethinking how their products were displayed.
Each product page was designed to feel premium and informative, with:
- Clean photography that showcases the salmon front and center
- Pricing options that clearly explain portion sizes and discounts
- Bullet points reinforcing natural ingredients, fast shipping, and sustainability
- Prominent “Add to Cart” buttons with no distractions
The result is a shopping experience that feels both trustworthy and irresistible.
From Local Favorite to National Ecommerce
One of the biggest transformations was expanding their reach.
Before, C&H Fish Co. relied heavily on wholesale and retail distribution. Now, thanks to the new website, they can sell directly to customers across the continental U.S. The site was designed with this national audience in mind, featuring:
- Flat-Rate and Free Shipping Tiers (simple and clear for customers)
- Fast 2-Day Shipping Messaging (building confidence at checkout)
- Mobile Optimization (since many seafood lovers are shopping on phones or tablets)
For a brand that already had name recognition in stores, this opened up an entirely new sales channel.
Results So Far
Since launch, C&H Fish Co. has been able to:
- Finally sell online nationwide with a reliable, scalable platform
- Present their products with the polish and premium feel they deserve
- Build stronger relationships with customers directly through recipes, newsletters, and promotions
While it’s still early, the foundation is now in place for them to grow their ecommerce presence and capture a larger share of the seafood market.
Why This Matters for Other Businesses
C&H Fish Co.’s journey isn’t unique. Many businesses — especially family-owned and legacy brands — struggle with outdated websites that don’t do justice to their products.
What made this project successful was the combination of:
- Custom Development: Not just a template, but a site tailored to their needs.
- Storytelling & Brand Alignment: Every element reinforces who they are.
- Conversion Strategy: From calls to action to shipping incentives, the site is designed to sell.
For potential customers reading this case study, the takeaway is clear: if your website isn’t working for you, it’s costing you more than just sales — it’s holding back your growth.
Working with C&H Fish Co. was a reminder of why we love what we do. Helping a family-owned business share their products with the world — and making sure their website tells the story behind the brand — is what great web design is all about.
C&H Fish Co. now has a site they can be proud of, one that matches their reputation for excellence and gives them a powerful tool to grow online.
And for us, it’s another example of how thoughtful design, customized development, and a focus on conversion can turn a struggling website into one that truly works for the brand.
