In the village of Yoro, it rains fish. Regal Springs' Heaven Fish is a compelling example of how a unique natural phenomenon can be transformed into a valuable brand experience born from a cultural context. In partnership with the people of Yoro, we gather, register and authenticate every fish that falls from the sky with a protected designation of origin. An enterprise that potentially increases Yoro's daily wage by up to 400 %, is not a bad day of fishing. An authentic and sustainable experience that engages consumers, as Regal Springs has branded it as a rare and exclusive ingredient.

Regal Springs has identified a unique opportunity in Yoro, Honduras, where it rains fish due to tornadoes near the coastline. Every fish that falls from the sky was registered with a protected designation of origin, the brand has provided economic opportunities for the local community by creating an exclusive and rare ingredient for high-end cuisine.

Situation:

Regal Springs has recognized the potential for economic development and sustainability through Heaven Fish.

Brief:

As a producer of sustainably farmed fish, Regal Springs brought a larger challenge in hand with its sustainability program: To create an initiative that sustains the core values of the brand, supporting communities and environmental welfare projects.

Objectives:

-Highlight the sustainable economy which supports local production and the residents of Yoro.

-Create opportunities for the local community to benefit from the distribution of Heaven Fish.


-Build awareness and interest in Heaven Fish as a rare and exclusive ingredient.

Heaven Fish turns a natural phenomenon in a small town in Honduras into a sustainable economic opportunity. Regal Springs registers every fish that falls from the heavens, giving Yoro's population exclusive distribution rights to these trademarked fish. With a protected designation of origin, these rare and miraculous fish can cost up to 400 times more than the daily budget of a Yoro resident, providing a new source of income for the locals. A branded experience built up even to the hands of highly recognized cuisines as a rare original ingredient. Everything in this campaign was made for and by the Yoro community, including our sustainable packaging made from banana peels, completing the eco-friendly approach. This idea showcases how creativity can turn an extraordinary occurrence into a prosperous and sustainable business.

The target audience for Heaven Fish is high-end consumers and restaurants and public markets, looking for unique and rare ingredients. The approach is to highlight the exclusivity of these trademarked fish and their origin in Yoro, Honduras, where they fall from the sky due to natural phenomena.

The focus is on the sustainable and ethical aspects of the brand, such as providing new income opportunities for the local community, and the use of banana peel packaging. The marketing strategy includes collaborations with renowned chefs and sustainable food organizations, as well as leveraging social media and online marketing to reach a wider audience.

Discovering the Rain of Fish in Honduras was the perfect opportunity to launch a program. Our approach was simple: create a public-private collaboration that would create a new income stream for the local community and an entirely new product line for our brand. “Do well by doing good.”

First, we registered “Heaven Fish” with a protected designation of origin, establishing that this uniquely curious product could only come from Yoro. Then, we reached an agreement with the municipal authorities, in which the resulting “catch” from the Rain of Fish could be collected and sold to Regal Springs at a premium, with the resulting income being shared among the town’s people. Furthermore, the product packaging was developed and produced using locally sourced materials such as banana peels, creating another economic opportunity.

With the initiative in place, we launched a PR campaign throughout Honduras, generating positive coverage in traditional and digital media.

Heaven has already been tasted by people from all over. Potentially, it will spread outside of Honduras to other nations that go through comparable natural occurrences, increasing the demand for these uncommon goods.

The initiative has already generated a significant business impact, with 90 restaurants and 80 public markets throughout Honduras buying and selling Heaven Fish + 200 distribution alliances. This certainly boosted sales around the region by creating a sustainable source of revenue for Yoro's residents.

The response rate has led to 25% of Yoro's people signing fishing contracts in support of the local economy. This distribution right gives 80% of the revenue to our heaven fishers.

Particularly among customers who desire authentic and sustainable experiences, Regal Springs' brand reputation improved as a result of the Heaven Fish, increasing brand loyalty and customer lifetime value. The results above are impressive for a small market such as Honduras, particularly considering the $20,000 total budget. For context, the country’s largest corporations’ average yearly spend is $750,000 in ad production and $8 million on media buys.

Earned Media: $152M 

Organic Reach: 450M 

Audience: 177M 

Every spring, something strange happens in the humble village of Yoro, Honduras. Known as "Lluvia de peces," or "Rain of Fish," it is a phenomenon where fish fall from the sky during rainfall. This is a highly significant event for the local community, as they believe it to be a miracle. The Yoro people's cultural and religious traditions are strongly anchored in the Rain of Fish, which is revered as a symbol of luck and prosperity.

This cultural insight brought to life Regal Springs' Heaven Fish by partnering with the Yoro community, Regal Springs created a cutting-edge, modern, new enterprise engaging an authentic experience

Up until recently, Yoro, Honduras, was a little-known community. In this particular place on earth, fish fall from the sky due to the tornado activity near the coastline. For scientists is a natural phenomenon, but from the local view, it is a miracle.

For at least the past 100 years, locals have been aware of the "Lluvia de Peces," or "Rain of Fish." This incident is viewed as a heavenly occurrence that has brought wealth and riches to the community.

In addition, Honduras has been working to promote sustainable development and safeguard its natural resources, which makes the focus on sustainable packaging and economic development through responsible fishing practices particularly relevant to the local context.