Saving Seafood

Labor shortage, masking and vaccine mandates imperiling US restaurant recovery

August 5, 2021 — New COVID-19-related vaccination and masking requirements at restaurants in some U.S. cities are raising concerns among restaurant groups and in the seafood industry.

New York City and San Francisco are now requiring citizens to wear masks indoors – including at restaurants – due to a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, primarily sourced to the more virulent delta variant of the coronavirus. Customers at New York City restaurants and bars will also be required to show proof of vaccination before dining indoors.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Grocery, seafood sales rise in June

July 16, 2021 — United States grocery sales rose slightly in June, while overall seafood sales decreased due to comparisons with pandemic buying in 2020.

U.S. fresh, frozen, and ambient seafood sales reached USD 585 million (EUR 496 million) in June 2021, according to IRI and 210 Analytics. While that was a 5.3 percent drop from 2020, seafood sales surged nearly 44 percent this June compared to 2019.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Consumers are demanding more sustainable seafood — and it’s working

June 30, 2021 — American shoppers cruising down the seafood aisle — even those hundreds of miles away from a working coastline — are increasingly concerned about the health of the ocean.

The decline of fish populations and ocean health is the sixth highest environmental concern worldwide, but Americans prioritize it even higher — ranking ocean health as their third highest environmental concern, according to 2020 survey conducted by independent research and strategy consultancy, Globescan.

Love for the ocean is translating into a desire to protect it — especially when Americans go to the grocery store. Consumers are ready to go to bat for sustainable seafood and companies that prove their willingness to protect the ocean.

Some 57 percent of 19,000 consumers surveyed in the United States and Canada are willing to change their buying habits to reduce their impact on the environment, according to a survey conducted by IBM and The National Retail Federation in 2020. The same is true of seafood buyers: According to the 2020 Globescan survey, 55 percent of U.S. seafood consumers agreed that in order to protect the ocean, fish and seafood should be consumed only from sustainable sources. Furthermore, the study found 65 percent of Americans believe supermarkets should remove all unsustainable fish and seafood products from their shelves.

When shoppers are standing in grocery stores, how do they know the full story behind the seafood in front of them? Oftentimes, they look for eco-labels, a third-party label or logo which identifies products proven to be environmentally preferable, which have proliferated in recent decades. The Globescan study found that 64 percent of Americans believe retailers’ and brands’ claims about sustainability and the environment need to be clearly labeled by an independent organization.

Read the full story at Grist

ALASKA: Copper River salmon harvest set to begin May 17

May 17, 2021 — Alaska’s 2021 salmon officially starts on Monday, May 17 with a 12-hour opener for reds and kings at the Copper River.

All eyes will be on early Cordova dock prices for Alaska’s famous “first fresh salmon of the season” as an indicator of wild salmon markets. COVID-forced closures in 2020 of high-end restaurants and seafood outlets tanked starting prices to $3 per pound for sockeyes and $6.50 for king salmon, down from $10 and $14, respectively the previous year.

But early signs are looking good.

Heading into Mother’s Day on May 9, demand for seafood was “fanatic” said Mitch Miller, vice president of national upscale seafood restaurants Ocean Prime in Nation’s Restaurant News.

National Retail Federation President Matthew Shay said there is a lot more consumer optimism this year as more people are getting vaccinated and stimulus checks are being distributed, and friends and family are moving about more freely.

Alaska’s 2021 salmon harvest is projected to top 190 million fish, a 61% increase over the 2020 catch. The breakdown includes 46.6 million sockeye salmon, 3.8 million cohos, 15.3 million chum salmon, 296,000 Chinook and 124.2 million pinks.

Read the full story at The Cordoba Times

US grocery outlook bright, with Amazon set to overtake Walmart as largest retailer

May 3, 2021 — The outlook for United States retailers and grocers is strong, according to National Retail Federation (NRF) Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz.

As Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19, they are developing a more positive economic outlook, and they’re visits into physical stores are rising, according to Kleinhenz. As a result, the U.S. economy is on firm footing and could see its fastest growth in more than three decades.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Riding strong sales, US grocery chains make expansion plans

March 30, 2021 — With the pandemic-related boom in retail seafood sales continuing in 2021, several U.S. supermarket chains are leaning on the category more as they unleash a wave of expansion.

ALDI, Lidl, Amazon Fresh, Giant, and others have all announced plans to open new stores in the U.S., riding a wave of sector growth, and more is on the way, according to the latest forecast available from the National Retail Federation. ALDI plans to open 100 new stores this year, and Lidl plans to open 50 outlets by the end of 2021. Amazon has opened 11 Amazon Fresh stores in various U.S. locations during the pandemic and plans to open 28 additional stores, Bloomberg recently reported.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Restaurants, seafood suppliers hoping Valentine’s Day gives them a boost

February 10, 2021 — Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only 24 percent of Americans plan to dine out for the Valentine’s Day holiday, and they will spend USD 32 (EUR 26) less on gifts per person on average, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

However, 41 percent say they are planning a special dinner or celebration at home, and a majority still believe it is important to celebrate the holiday – especially due to the pandemic, NRF reports.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Seafood, retail sales surged during 2020 holiday season

January 20, 2021 — Retail sales were higher than expected during the 2020 holiday season – and sales of seafood shone as a particularly bright spot.

Frozen seafood was “one of the strongest performers” in the overall supermarket frozen food department, growing 23 percent in December versus a year ago, 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink told SeafoodSource.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

State Department issues guidance on visa applicants after federal judge issues injunction

October 19, 2020 — The U.S. State Department has issued new guidance for certain individuals applying for H-2B and other temporary worker visas after a federal judge in California issued an injunction against the Trump Administration earlier this month.

For H-2B applicants, individuals must be prepared to show that their employer is a member of one of the following trade associations: the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation, TechNet, and Intrax, Inc.

Read the full story at Seafood Source