Saving Seafood

After strong Thanksgiving weekend sales, US December grocery forecast looks cheery

December 5, 2024 — Early data analyzing U.S. shopping trends during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday weekend could be a harbinger of good news for grocery and food sales in December.

According to new research from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and data firm Prosper Insights & Analytics, 197 million people shopped – for either food or non-food items – during the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving Day on 28 November through Cyber Monday on 2 December.

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Potential US tariffs, poor domestic demand have Chinese seafood firms turning toward Southeast Asia

December 2, 2024 — Facing dwindling domestic demand and potential new tariffs in the U.S., some Chinese seafood firms have begun to cast their attention toward Southeast Asia.

Guangdon, China-based Guolian Aquatic and Guangdong Evergreen – a conglomerate which produces and processes fish, shrimp, and aquafeed, – have targeted Indonesia as a location that may be able to offer more consistently lucrative business.

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Conservation groups call on US to ban foreign seafood over whale and dolphin bycatch

December 8, 2023 — Conservation groups want NOAA Fisheries to ban imports from foreign fisheries that are not adequately working to prevent marine mammal bycatch.

“By continuing to allow imports that do not meet U.S. standards, [NOAA Fisheries] NMFS chooses business as usual over the survival of some of the most amazing species on the planet,” Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Senior Attorney and Global Biodiversity Conservation Director Zak Smith said. “Because NMFS has failed to safeguard ocean biodiversity, future generations may never have the chance to protect invaluable marine life.”

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US Senator Tom Cotton introduces bill to ban Chinese seafood imports

December 7, 2023 — U.S. Senator Tom Cotton has introduced legislation that would ban the import of seafood and aquaculture products from China.

“Fishing and aquaculture is yet another industry the Chinese Communist Party is weaponizing for their own gain through blatant abuse and slave labor. This legislation will stop imports of this illicit seafood by imposing real costs on the Chinese government and the companies that aid them,” Cotton said in a statement.

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Channel Fish, Trident split USD 1.75 million pollock award

December 5, 2023 — Channel Fish Processing and Trident Seafoods split USD 1.75 (EUR 1.6 million) in Alaska pollock contracts awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on 1 December.

Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based Channel Fish will supply USD 988,559 (EUR 913,854) worth of frozen pollock sticks, while Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based Trident will supply bulk surimi worth USD 759,924 (EUR 702,497).

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Rabobank: Farmed fish, shrimp production to bounce back in 2024

December 5, 2023 — Global seafood supply is likely to rise next year, with key aquaculture production sectors returning to a period of growth after a turbulent 2023, according to new analysis compiled by the RaboResearch unit of Dutch financial services company Rabobank.

Summarizing key takeaways from Rabobank’s annual production survey with support from the Global Seafood Alliance, the report, “What to Expect in the Aquaculture Industry in 2024,” anticipates worldwide shrimp production will recover in the year ahead after a modest 0.4 percent decline in output in 2023. At the same time, global salmon harvests are likely to rise after two years of flat or declining yields, and various farmed whitefish sectors are expected to see an upturn.

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Subway sandwich chain reportedly being sold for USD 9.6 billion

August 23, 2023 — Subway, a chain of sandwich shops with thousands of locations across the U.S., is reportedly on the verge of being sold.

Roark Capital, which already owns the Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant chains, is nearing a deal to buy Subway for around USD 9.6 billion (EUR 8.8 billion), the Wall Street Journal reported. The deal could be finalized as soon as the end of the week.

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Younger consumers redefining value at retail

August 21, 2023 — Consumers are adapting in response to strained economic conditions, even as inflation has started slowing down.

Eating at home more often remained the norm for the first half of the year among U.S. consumers, but unlike during the pandemic, shoppers lately have been branching out to different grocery locales in search of deals to reduce their food expenses. FMI – The Food Industry Association has observed shoppers’ migration to mass retail channels as they search for deals and value.

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US seafood price inflation declines in all areas except frozen

May 2, 2023 — Overall U.S. retail seafood inflation dropped in the first quarter of 2023, which benefitted all sectors of the industry but frozen sales, according to new data shared at Elanco’s “Seafood in U.S. Retail” webinar on 2 May.

Total food and beverage inflation spiked 11.3 percent in the first quarter of this year compared versus the first quarter of 2022, but frozen seafood prices rose only 3.9 percent, fresh seafood prices were up 2.2 percent, and shelf-stable prices rose 3.7 percent, 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink said during the webinar, citing data from research firm Circana.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource