Fish Finder

The 2015 Seafood Expo North America in Boston offers retailers the chance to haul in a boatload of new products and merchandising ideas.

One could spend years sailing the seven seas looking for the latest in seafood products and trends, but an easier option is to simply drop anchor at the 2015 Seafood Expo North America being held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center from March 15–17.

According to show organizers, this year’s convention is shaping up to be another record-breaking event, exceeding 200,000-square-feet of sold exhibit space housing more than 1,100 exhibiting companies, with more than 20,000 attendees expected.

“We like to see consumers eating more seafood because it is so much better for them as compared to other proteins,” says Joanne Zaritsky, marketing director for the Gulf Seafood Marketing Coalition, based in Tampa, Fla. “Considering the cost of all proteins nowadays, seafood is very reasonably priced. It is low in fat and cholesterol and is good for your overall health,” she says.

At the Expo, retailers have the opportunity to learn ways to net the most out of their seafood departments.

“The biggest way retailers can make an impact within the seafood category is through targeted and strategic merchandising,” says Daryl Miller, director of marketing, SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co., based in St. Simons Island, Ga. “We encourage retailers to leverage feature and display opportunities during key selling periods for shrimp and seafood, such as Lent, fall and the holiday season.”

Playing the “local” card can also hook shoppers, say industry observers.

“I always say that if shrimp grew on vines we’d be the Napa Valley of seafood,” says Karen Profita, executive director, Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board, based in Baton Rouge, La.

With more than 1,100 booths to visit, seafood lovers will definitely be getting tipsy at this year’s show. Here is a sampling of what to expect:

Orca Bay Seafoods | Booth 643 | www.orcabayseafoods.com

Orca Bay officials are touting their 10-ounce retail and club store lines of various species that are all-natural and free of phosphates and other moisture retention agents.

“We’re very excited about our new products in our frozen single vac pack line with high graphics on one side and a clear bottom so you can see the product,” says John Steinmetz, vice president of business development for the Renton, Wash.-based company. The packaging takes a layer of plastic out of the waste stream and allows Orca Bay to process smaller, customized runs. Also showcased are Keta salmon and Pacific cod with a choice of five different rubs.    

Sea Port Products | Booth 723 | www.cport.net

Sea Port Products has moved from its longtime perch at the foot of the escalators to the middle of the show floor where company officials will be touting the highlights of their one-stop shop and logistical benefits of working with a broad line importer dealing in 40 different species with more than 100 different specs.

“We’ve made our booth much more visually stimulating,” says Zach Krokos, sales and purchasing executive for the Kirkland, Wash.-based company. “We have a large lighthouse in the middle of our booth that shows who we partnered with, including National Fisheries Institute, Better Seafood Board, and the Global Aquaculture Alliance. It is a long list of partners that shows the strength and values that we have as an industry leader.”       

Ocean Beauty Seafoods | Booth 1205 | www.oceanbeauty.com

Ocean Beauty officials will be sampling smoked salmon and new cold smoked steelhead, which is debuting at the show. “We will also be sampling our new recipe salmon burger and our new albacore tuna burger,” says Tom Sunderland, vice president, marketing, for the Seattle-based company.

Clearwater Seafoods | Booth 1434 | www.clearwater.ca

Clearwater has sea scallops for the masses with its Scallop Selects.

“Scallop Selects are a value alternative to sea scallops made by chopping and forming our sweet and tender Patagonia scallops into uniform portions yielding a remarkably similar appearance, taste and texture to sea scallops,” explains Jane La Rocque, marketing director – innovation, at Clearwater Seafoods, based in Bedford, N.S., Canada.

Also look for several new additions to its line of shellfish and sauce products, including Shrimp & Sauce and Shrimp with Scallops & Sauce.

Pacific Seafood | Booth 1523 | www.pacseafood.com

Pacific Seafood, based in Clackamas, Ore., is touting new lines of fish for foodservice and retail, including ready-to-eat smoked, ready-to-cook breaded and ready-to-cook 4-ounce fillets. According to company officials, Pacific Seafood uses some farmed products, including Atlantic salmon and its own Columbia River steelhead, but mostly wild Keta, sockeye, albacore, cod, halibut, shrimp, flounder and sole.

Clear Spring Foods | Booth 1533 | www.clearsprings.com

At Clear Springs Foods officials are urging show-goers to catch the rainbow—as in 100% Guaranteed Boneless Rainbow Trout Natural Fillets.

“We are emphasizing two fresh seafood case merchandising opportunities,” says Don Riffle, executive vice president of sales, at the Buhl, Idaho-based company. “It can be purchased in a 4.25-ounce size and up, for selling by the pound, or 4.25-5.24-ounce, 5.25-6.24-ounce or 6.25-7.24-ounce portions merchandised by-the-each.”

Value-added rainbow trout products – in Pecan Crusted, Parmesan Crusted, Tortilla Crusted and Crunchy Potato varieties – sold in the fresh case as previously frozen, will also be on display. “They hold up very well after defrosting and can be cooked in the oven in about 20 minutes,” Riffle says. “This gives the consumer a great, restaurant quality fish portion, with easy preparation.”      

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute | Booth 1633 | www.alaskaseafood.org

A new booth location deeper into the show floor is not the only change visitors will see at Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). “This year we are talking with retailers about the ongoing support that we can provide,” says Larry Andrews, retail marketing director, in ASMI’s Seattle office. That includes explaining how to navigate the Creator Select function on the ASMI website where retailers download free photography, recipes and other selling materials.

“We have information on canned product and a whole Alaska Fish Taco site where the retailer can actually download the entire microsite and embed it within their own website,” Andrews says.

Officials will also be talking about Alaska Seafood U and new information on the Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) program.

National Fishers Institute | Booth 1865 | www.aboutseafood.com

Seafood fraud/fish fraud is a real crime, and visitors to NFI’s booth will learn how to combat an issue that runs the gamut from selling skate wings as scallops to “short weighting,” like putting 8-pounds of fish in a 10-pound box with 2-pounds of ice.

“We are working to ensure that there is enforcement of existing laws,” says Gavin Gibbons, vice president of communications, at NFI, based in McLean, Va. “We don’t need new laws. We just have to make sure regulators are enforcing existing laws. In Boston one will learn that NFI members differentiate themselves from others because they are also members of the Better Seafood Board,” Gibbons says.

Shining Ocean | Booth 1933 | www.kanimi.com

It takes a special surimi to make it into Whole Foods. Stop by Shining Ocean, which supplies the chain, and try a sample of Shining Ocean’s famous Shrimp Seafood Salad. “We are one of the only surimi products Whole Foods carries because of our high quality and because we are all-natural,” says Nick Buscovich, sales manager for the Sumner, Wash.-based company.

Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board | Booth 2233 | www.louisianaseafood.com

Board officials are bringing their “big ol’ Louisiana booth” to New England, complete with Aaron Burgau – the newly crowned King of Louisiana Seafood – and officials from local companies: Paul Piazza & Sons, Baton Rouge Shrimp Company, Jazzmen Rice, Bayou Barataria Foods and Gulf Island Shrimp and Seafood.

“This year we are really focusing on the unique ecology of Louisiana,” says Profita. “Because of our ecology we have an abundance of not only species, but also the number within each species. In Louisiana when you have a lot of something you throw a party and celebrate. We want to bring that celebration to Boston, and throughout the year to grocery stores and restaurants.”