February 21, 2023 — A steep decline in seafood activity has merchandisers scurrying for sales remedies. One potential solution? Position seafood as a snack instead of a main meal.
“Seafood had a tough 2022,” said Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics LLC, a San Antonio-based market research and marketing strategies firm. “Engagement was down and that means we need to get creative.”
With Chicago-based market research firm Information Resources Inc. (IRI) reporting that volume sales of fresh finfish and fresh shellfish were down 12.3% and 18.7%, respectively, for the 52 weeks ending Jan. 1, while frozen finfish and frozen shellfish sales fell 11% and 4.8%, respectively, it is essential for sellers to seek solutions that can jumpstart purchasing.
Emphasizing seafood’s role as a snacking option is a way to create more eating occasions, Roerink said. While most seafood consumption occurs at dinnertime, meal occasions are becoming increasingly fluid and creating opportunities for newer options, she said.
“Snacking is huge for adults and kids alike and protein remains a powerful nutrition claim that people look for, particularly during the afternoon and evening break,” Roerink said.
Seafood snacks can be particularly attractive to the greater number of people working from home who have easy access to air fryers and microwaves, along with the growing amounts of individuals replacing lunch with several smaller snacking occasions, she said.
Yet, a segment of shoppers and merchandisers already embrace seafood snacks. That includes consumers using canned and pouched tuna to create on-the-go solutions, like tuna salad and crackers, and retailers that are offering frozen options like breaded shrimp or bacon-wrapped scallops that can be eaten as either a snack, appetizer, or even center-of-the-plate protein, Roerink said.
Seafood department operators also are in position to propel activity by offering more fresh snacking options. Along with such selections as shrimp platters, smaller portions of sushi, and seafood salad, items like one-person servings of shrimp with cocktail sauce, sashimi, and shrimp and salmon kebabs can potentially boost buying, Roerink said.