I recently had a discussion with the salmon kiosk vendor in Tops about why the salmon in Tops was so much more expensive than in other supermarkets (Makro, Lotus, etc.) Was I throwing money down the drain buying salmon at Tops, I asked. She explained to me that Tops sold a "premium" quality of salmon. When compared side by side, the salmon sold in Tops does appear to have far less fat between the muscles, have a firmer texture and be less mushy than the salmon typically sold in other supermarkets. Tops also trims more of the belly fat off the salmon than the cuts sold elsewhere. Also, at Tops they debone the salmon (not sure if you have to request this). After discussing this, I bought a large filet, and after eating several large portions, I am convinced the quality is superior at Tops. You're paying twice (0r more) the price there, but the quality is definitely better. Whether it's worth it, I guess is up to you, but I plan to buy my salmon from Tops going forward. What caused me to go back to Tops, (which is an hour and a half away) was that I bought some fresh salmon at my local Lotus's store and the meat texture was really poor quality (about 799/kg if I remember correctly) in terms of fattiness, flavor, and texture. Over the years I've bought a fair amount of fresh salmon at Makro which I found to be acceptable and of reasonably good quality (but not as good as what is available at Tops). I know that Lotus's is owned by the same company that owns Makro, but I have begun to be suspicious that my local Lotus's in a fairly rural area is distributing a lower quality of produce than can be found in larger urban centers, perhaps where there is a more affluent customer base.
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