Working Together to Drive Consumption

16.5 Pounds per capita represents all the seafood consumed in the US. Seafood falls above turkey (13.4) but below pork (47.8), chicken (59.2), and beef (62.9). I have been working in this industry for 26 years and in that time we have only been able to increase consumption by 3.2 pounds. During that same time frame, Chicken has increased by 30 pounds. Why the disparity?

Have we not spent the past quarter century working collectively to increase the consumption of seafood? To be honest, we have not. Yes there has been work done to increase consumer awareness about the benefits of eating seafood, to educate them on just how easy the products are to prepare, to develop consumer confidence. But most, if not all, of this work has been done by individual operators/stakeholders and at times the point of the education/awareness has been to promote one source of product at the expense of another. This latter kind of awareness building ultimately benefits neither party. For as the barbs fly back and forth, promoting one source over another creates confusion in the customers mind regarding which product is indeed better. The last thing we need in this industry is a customer who is not completely clear on why they should be eating seafood.

It really is time for us to find a way to come together as an industry and promote Seafood, in all its various forms. This requires both the industry to come together and coalesce around a marketing campaign that supports the various members of the seafood community in the US market as well as the development of a funding mechanism that provides the resources needed to fully support this effort. In conjunction with this idea, we need to redefine how government monies are used to support the industry. The expenses that are currently devoted to promoting one sub segment of the industry would be better served promoting the entire industry.

Let’s start the campaign with an internal goal of 20 pounds in 2020. Working together we could get there - working apart there is little chance of that lofty goal becoming reality.

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Shrimp Expert

by Emily Stavis

A Seafood Expert by definition is a person who has a special skill or knowledge in some particular field. While I don’t think of myself as an “expert,” I do get to participate in, and learn about, the various Shrimp markets all over the world.  Many buyers in the seafood business do not monitor, purchase, or get involved in many different Shrimp markets. They may be a supplier in the Gulf who is selling only Domestic Brown and White Shrimp in various forms, or they may be a Shrimp producer in Bangladesh specifically concentrating on the farming, marketing, and supply situation of Tigers and Freshwater Shrimp.  They are typically not involved with the other species that they do not handle.

I have a distinct advantage from where I sit, and that is because my company carries a wide range of different Shrimp items. Each day, I get to compare and contrast the Wild and Farmed markets, the White Shrimp and Tiger Shrimp Markets, the Shell-On Shrimp markets and the value-added Shrimp items like P&D T-On (peeled and deveined Tail-On Shrimp) and P&D Tail-Off (peeled and deveined tail-off Shrimp).

Prices on any given size of Shrimps can vary by as much as $1.00 - $2.00 per lb depending upon markets and the forms of Shrimp. For example today a 16-20 Domestic Shell-On Shrimp is selling in the low to mid $5.00/lb range at a wholesale level while PDT-On Shrimp of the same size are selling at a low $6.00 level wholesale.  One is a Wild Domestic Shrimp that needs labor to peel and devein it at the end user level and one is Farmed Tiger that is ready to cook with little to no labor to get the Shrimp ready for the pan.

The markets are constantly changing as seasons begin and end, supply situations go up and down, and the currency exchange fluctuates on the world markets.  Then there are the natural disaster and weather occurrences that can affect the markets as well. Many factors play into making decisions about the what and the when to carry product and this is what makes my job exciting, nerve wracking and just plain fun from day to day, season to season and from year to year.

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Cephalopods & Lent

By Ruth Levy

Lent is just around the corner and a great category to feature is Cephalopods:  Squid, Octopus and Cuttlefish.  These seafood items are consumed across many different cultures and certainly represent an opportunity for both the buyer and the seller.  In their frozen cleaned form, squid, octopus and cuttlefish are truly one of the best values in the seafood category as there is no waste, everything can be cooked.

How and where are these items used?  Squid or calamari is used in just about every type of restaurant whether it is fried, added to a seafood stew or poached and used in salad.  Cuttlefish is typically found more in Asian and Mediterranean cuisines stewed, grilled or fried.  Octopus has come into its own and can be found on your local Mexican, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese & Australian Restaurant menu just to name a few.  The dishes can range from fried, sautéed, salad, barbecued to stewed.  The applications are quite limitless for this seafood category of cephalopods.

The value for cephalopods lies not only in the versatile applications but also in the low cost of the product.  Cleaned squid, octopus and cuttlefish are all 100% usable and cost a reasonable amount compared to other proteins.  This is one category where the three mantras of value, versatility and variety all apply.

So, when thinking about what to eat or to feature during Lent, don’t forget Cephalopods:  Squid, Octopus and Cuttlefish.  There are close to seven weeks to focus on seafood and cephalopods should be on the top of the list.

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