May 1 - ANALYSIS: Fresh Tilapia Prices Rise as Imports Fall
May 1 - The Retail Rundown: Maximizing May’s Buying Occasions
Apr 29 - ANALYSIS: Blue and Red Swimming Crab Meat Hit 52-week Lows on Special Grade
Apr 25 - ANALYSIS: Countervailing Duties Reduction Would Have Significant Impact on Payments
Apr 24 - The Retail Rundown: Abundance of Springtime Eating Occasions
Apr 24 - ANALYSIS: 2024 Alaska Pollock ‘A’ Season Wraps Ahead of Seafood Expo Global
Apr 23 - ANALYSIS: Is the Frozen Tuna Market Poised for A Rebound?
Apr 22 - ANALYSIS: Canadian Snow Crab Start of the Gulf Season Begins 32 Percent Higher Than Last Year
Apr 16 - ANALYSIS: Navigating Shifts in the 2024 Sockeye Season
Apr 16 - ANALYSIS: Live Lobster - Spring Preview
Apr 15 - ANALYSIS: Farmed Salmon at Retail Wanes
Apr 11 - ANALYSIS: 2024 Scallop Season Expectations
Apr 10 - The Retail Rundown: Competitive Prices Drive Traffic; CPI Update
Apr 5 - ANALYSIS: Shrimp Imports Surprise With Gains in February
Apr 3 - The Retail Rundown: The April Outlook
Mar 27 - The Retail Rundown: Easter Features Breakdown
Mar 25 - ANALYSIS: Mid-Small Blue and Red Crab Meat Under Pressure
Mar 25 - ANALYSIS: Fresh Tilapia Facing Supply Challenges
Mar 25 - ANALYSIS: 2024 Pacific Halibut Season Outlook
Mar 20 - The Retail Rundown: 2024 Annual Power of Meat Study Recap
Mar 19 - ANALYSIS: Chinook Fishery Yields High Landings in Southeast Alaska/Yakutat for 2024
Mar 18 - ANALYSIS: Snow Crab Insights for Mid-March 2024
Mar 13 - The Retail Rundown: Seeing Green
Mar 8 - ANALYSIS: 2024 Pollock A Season Landings and Price Reaction
Mar 8 - ANALYSIS: January Shrimp Imports Decline Rapidly with AD/CVD in Background
Mar 6 - The Retail Rundown: Hopping Towards the Holiday
Mar 5 - ANALYSIS: Record Wide Spreads Hit Lobster Tail Market
Mar 5 - ANALYSIS: Checking In With Crab Meat As Ramadan Approaches
Mar 5 - ANALYSIS: Surging Atlantic Halibut Imports With Sporadic Pricing to Start 2024
Mar 1 - ANALYSIS: Update to the 2023-2024 C&SA Mahi Season
Feb 28 - The Retail Rundown: Plenty to Munch on in March
Feb 28 - ANALYSIS: Ratio of Farmed to Wild U.S. Shrimp Imports from Mexico Remains Consistent
Feb 23 - ANALYSIS: Shrimp Exports Disrupted in Argentina Due to Nationwide Strike
Feb 22 - ANALYSIS: Frozen Salmon Fillet Volume Retreats in 2023
Feb 21 - The Retail Rundown: Finalizing February’s Features
Feb 14 - The Retail Rundown: Surf and Turf Promotions for Valentine's Day
Feb 13 - ANALYSIS: Navigating the Shifting Imported Crawfish Market Amidst Domestic Supply Changes
Feb 12 - ANALYSIS: Frozen Tilapia Fillets Report Lowest Import Year Since 2006
Feb 9 - Valentine’s Day 2024: Salmon An Attractive Option, But Lobster Shows You Really Care
Feb 9 - ANALYSIS: Lobster Market Prices are Advancing Quick and Sharp
Feb 8 - ANALYSIS: Shrimp Imports End the Year with Monthly Gain, But Still Lower on Year
Feb 7 - The Retail Rundown: Super Sunday Promotions
Feb 5 - ANALYSIS: Dungeness Clusters 23 Percent Higher Than Same Time Last Year
Jan 31 - The Retail Rundown: Touching Down on Super Bowl Spending
Jan 24 - The Retail Rundown: Packing on the Protein
Jan 8 - ANALYSIS: Farmed Salmon Market Off to a Firm Start in 2024
Jan 3 - The Retail Rundown: Consumer Sentiment Rises at Year's End
Dec 22 - ANALYSIS: Tilapia Market Rallies Ahead of the New Year
Dec 20 - ANALYSIS: Lobster Market Sees Supply Constraints, Rising Replacement, and Moderate Demand
Dec 20 - The Retail Rundown: Ham Features Increase for the Holidays
Dec 18 - ANALYSIS: Slowed Demand from Trade Partners Leads to Lower Priced Ecuadorian Shrimp
Dec 18 - ANALYSIS: Florida Stone Crab Season's Weather Challenges, Price Fluctuations, and Holiday Demand
Dec 13 - The Retail Rundown: Thanksgiving Turkey Retail Prices Reported Higher Despite Wholesale Drop
Dec 7 - ANALYSIS: October U.S. Shrimp Imports Reach High Single-Digit Growth Again
Dec 6 - The Retail Rundown: Season’s Gr-eatings
Nov 21 - ANALYSIS: Imports and Price Retreat on Squid Market
Nov 15 - The Retail Rundown: 2023 Thanksgiving Outlook
Nov 13 - ANALYSIS: Crab Meat Market Round-up
Nov 8 - The Retail Rundown: Tuning in to Holiday Turkey Features
Oct 30 - ANALYSIS: Ecuadorian Shrimp Exports Keep Progressing, But At What Price?
Oct 25 - The Retail Rundown: Roast Features Heat Up as Temperatures Dip
Oct 24 - ANALYSIS: A Recent Uptick of Argentina Red Shrimp Exports to the EU
Oct 23 - ANALYSIS: Robust Chum Landings out of Alaska in 2023 Result in Lower Prices
Oct 18 - ANALYSIS: The Live Lobster Market Following Historical Behaviors: A Maine Update
Oct 18 - The Retail Rundown: Keeping a Watchful Eye on Bird Flu
Oct 16 - ANALYSIS: Taking the Temperature of Farmed Salmon Halfway Through October
Oct 4 - The Retail Rundown: A-Maizing Protein Opportunities this October
Sep 27 - The Retail Rundown: Pork and Seafood Share the Spotlight Next Month
Sep 22 - ANALYSIS: Wild Salmon Week in Review September 10-16
Sep 20 - The Retail Rundown: Fall-ing into Seasonal Trends
Sep 13 - The Retail Rundown: Checking on Chicken; Latest Inflation Reading
Sep 13 - ANALYSIS: Frozen Mahi – The 2023-2024 Season Outlook
Sep 13 - ANALYSIS: Assessing Some Shifts in EU Shrimp Demand
Sep 11 - ANALYSIS: Fresh Salmon Fillet Imports Up Almost 11 Percent YTD
Sep 7 - ANALYSIS: U.S. Shrimp Imports Show First Gain in a Year
Sep 6 - The Retail Rundown: Seasonal Shifts in September
Sep 5 - ANALYSIS: Haddock Imports Down, Pricing Remains at 52-week Low
Sep 1 - ANALYSIS: EU Shrimp Imports from Argentina Down 21% YOY in July
Aug 30 - The Retail Rundown: 2023 Labor Day Feature Rundown
Aug 28 - ANALYSIS: A Few Things to Watch In The Crab Meat Market
Aug 25 - ANALYSIS: Wild Salmon Week in Review August 13-19
Aug 23 - The Retail Rundown: Looking Towards Labor Day
Aug 21 - ANALYSIS: Larger Snow Crab Volumes Light; Retail Remains Active
Aug 18 - ANALYSIS: Uncertainties Within The Scallop Market
Aug 16 - The Retail Rundown: Egg-celerated Features Boost Spending
Aug 11 - ANALYSIS: Tilapia Imports, Prices Retreat
Aug 10 - ANALYSIS: Fresh Salmon Imports Up Almost 10 Percent Year-To-Date
Aug 9 - ANALYSIS: U.S. Shrimp Imports in June Mark 12-Month Decline
Aug 9 - The Retail Rundown: Most Protein Indices Are Below Last Year
Aug 2 - The Retail Rundown: The August Outlook
Jul 31 - ANALYSIS: Fresh and Frozen Tilapia Pricing Gap Widens
Jul 28 - ANALYSIS: Wild Salmon Week in Review July 16-22
Jul 26 - The Retail Rundown: Seafood Features Swim to the Top
Jul 19 - The Retail Rundown: Battle of the Burgers
Jul 18 - ANALYSIS: Farmed Chilean Salmon Market Sees Bump Off Bottom
Jul 14 - ANALYSIS: Wild Salmon Week in Review For July 2-8
Jul 13 - ANALYSIS: Shrimp Less Volatile Than Other Proteins
Jul 12 - The Retail Rundown: How Did This Year's July 4th Protein Sales Perform?
Jul 10 - ANALYSIS: Crab Meat Imports Rise Above 3-Year Average for First Time in 10 Months
ANALYSIS: Fresh Tilapia Prices Rise as Imports Fall
There was a notable decrease in the total import volume of fresh tilapia fillets in February 2024 compared to January 2024, with volumes dropping from just under 4.1 million pounds to 3.2 million pounds, a 21.9% decline. Year-over-year, the decline is even more pronounced at 28.1%, with February 2023 volumes at 4.4 million pounds. This indicates a significant contraction in import volumes over both a monthly and yearly basis.
The year-to-date numbers running January through February show a similar trend, with a decline of...
The Retail Rundown: Maximizing May’s Buying Occasions
The grocery sector is maximizing several buying occasions this month as the change in weather and outdoor grilling season breathes new life into the meat case.
May brings about a seasonal shift as daily life bustles with spring activities like sports and outings—boosting the supermarket's convenience and snack food sections. Busy families will also frequent the deli counter more often and turn to quick dinners and frozen options for weekday meals.
Retailers are currently highlighting holiday items for Cinco de Mayo this Sunday. The upcoming holiday, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico’s...
ANALYSIS: Countervailing Duties Reduction Would Have Significant Impact on Payments
As reported by SeafoodNews Managing Editor, Amanda Buckle, Jose Antonio Camposano, Executive President of Industry Association Camara Nacional de Acuacultura confirmed the yet unpublished report that Santa Priscila’s subsidy rate has been lowered.
To put this in perspective, here is a preliminary analysis of money that would be posted based upon data from 2023 imports. The red lines in the graph are estimated payments against last year’s total imports by company based upon the average price paid. The total paid would...
ANALYSIS: 2024 Alaska Pollock ‘A’ Season Wraps Ahead of Seafood Expo Global
As the "A" Season for Alaska Pollock wraps up, this year's harvest data from the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region reveals nuanced dynamics in the fisheries sector.
According to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) data, the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Bering Sea pollock in 2024 remained consistent with the previous year at 1,300,000 metric tons. Despite the static TAC, landings during the "A" season of 2024, currently available through the first week of April, totaled 533,633 metric tons, showing a modest decline from...
ANALYSIS: Canadian Snow Crab Start of the Gulf Season Begins 32 Percent Higher Than Last Year
From a market reporting perspective, the 2024 Canadian snow crab season is starting right on time with previous years for Gulf of St. Lawrence product. Mid-April is typically when the U.S. market starts to see snow crab come down into the market with enough volume for Urner Barry to begin establishing quotations. This has been the seasonal norm for the previous five years in the Gulf. Prior to that time, Urner Barry saw enough product to establish quotations closer to the...
ANALYSIS: Live Lobster - Spring Preview
As the Canadian spring season approaches, many eagerly anticipate its arrival. The scarcity of supplies experienced during the fall and winter has been notable and, for some, challenging. While the cause of this shortage may be subject to debate, it is noteworthy that interrupted fishing due to windy weather conditions has been observed in both Maine and Canada. According to Mintec Analytics, in December, average daily wind gusts in Canada surpassed historical expectations by 25%, while in Maine during January, they exceeded historical averages by...
ANALYSIS: 2024 Scallop Season Expectations
The 2024/2025 Atlantic sea scallop fishery season began on April 1, 2024. This fishery extends from the Mid-Atlantic region to the U.S.-Canadian border. The New England Fishery Management Council approved Framework Adjustment 38 in December, forecasting a catch of 27.4 million pounds of Atlantic sea scallops for the season. On March 22, 2024, NOAA issued the final rule in the Federal Register, effective from the season's start. Per NOAA Fisheries, for the initial 60 days of the fishing year, vessels with limited access can utilize their remaining 2023 scallop allocation from the...
ANALYSIS: Shrimp Imports Surprise With Gains in February
In data released Thursday, and maybe somewhat of a surprise given the recent cautiousness surrounding shrimp imports with CVD/AD hanging over the industry (preliminary countervailing duties since released), U.S. shrimp imports in February were 12.5 percent higher. Imports for the month totaled 131.198 million pounds, nearly on par with last month, but above 116.596 million pounds in 2023.
There were gains from four of the top five trade partners. India (+21.5%), Ecuador (+9.9%), Vietnam (+50.3%), and...
The Retail Rundown: Easter Features Breakdown
A March Easter is approaching—an occurrence not seen since 2016. Circulars are flush with holiday and springtime themes as grocers take full advantage of the upcoming weekend.
Pork feature volume rose through the ranks and earned the top spot of protein feature volume this week with 29% of ad space. Seafood eased to 25%, down from 32% last week. Lent ends tomorrow at sundown, meaning observers can soon indulge in meat on Fridays again.
Beef has 20% of retail activity while chicken features comprise 11% of protein ad volume. Turkey features more...
ANALYSIS: Fresh Tilapia Facing Supply Challenges
The fresh tilapia market in the United States is currently facing significant challenges due to supply disruptions. Colombia, the leading supplier of fresh tilapia to the U.S. since 2022, has reportedly experienced mortality issues resulting in a sharp decline in production. With Colombia's typical production output compromised, the U.S. market is turning to other regions, notably Costa Rica, Honduras, and Brazil, to fill the void. Additionally, Brazil's effort to get new farms BAP certified rapidly for U.S. exports underscores the urgency and the potential for...
The Retail Rundown: 2024 Annual Power of Meat Study Recap
The 2024 Power of Meat Study was revealed at the Annual Meat Conference in Nashville, Tennessee this week. Anne-Marie Roerink, Principal at 210 Analytics, presented the findings and identified the trends currently shaping the retail meat sector.
This year’s report found that the number of Americans who describe themselves as meat eaters (80%) and the number of households that purchase meat (98%) were unchanged from 2023. Circana data indicates that overall household penetration across all incomes, ethnicities, household sizes, and ages, averages above 97%...
ANALYSIS: Snow Crab Insights for Mid-March 2024
The snow crab market pricing in the U.S. has remained unchanged for the past several weeks. As we head into the back end of March and the start of the Canadian snow crab season, all eyes are on Eastern Canada. Some market participants have reported that snow crab fishing will begin in Nova Scotia starting over the weekend. As is typical in Nova Scotia, with weather conditions permitting, market participants report this is a normal start time for this area.
From a historical...
ANALYSIS: 2024 Pollock A Season Landings and Price Reaction
The 2024 Alaskan Pollock A season opened January 20, 2024 in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council set the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Bering Sea pollock in 2024 to remain at 1.3 million metric tons, consistent with the 2023 level.
While the quota remains unchanged, pollock stock is reportedly healthy, resulting in an increased biomass. This has allowed for a boost to the allowable biological catch (ABC) from 1.9 million metric tons reported in 2023 to...
The Retail Rundown: Hopping Towards the Holiday
Seafood maintains its lion’s share of total feature volume with 37% this week, up from 28.6% the week prior. At present, 42% of seafood features stem from the fresh/frozen fillet category as retailers look to capture sales from Lent observers.
Tilapia and salmon have the greatest percentages of feature volume within the fillet category. With prices comparable to or below year-ago levels, retailers were keen to give the two species a larger chunk of circular real estate.
Fresh salmon, the top seller within the finfish category last week, retailed at...
ANALYSIS: Checking In With Crab Meat As Ramadan Approaches
The crab meat market in the U.S. has been a tale of two different groupings of sizing grades: larger grades under upward pricing pressure and smaller grades seeing downward pricing pressure. Because the overall size of crabs has been smaller for the past several months out of the Asian producing countries, we have continued to see a smaller percentage of colossal, jumbo lump, and super lump available to the marketplace. When crabs run smaller, you normally see a higher percentage of special and claw...
ANALYSIS: Update to the 2023-2024 C&SA Mahi Season
Total mahi imports, spanning from October to December 2023, from all countries reached 9.5 million pounds, reflecting a notable increase of 15.8% compared to the same period for the 2022-2023 season. Specifically, within the C&SA region, shipments totaled 6.9 million pounds in Q4 2023, with the majority predominantly originating from Peru. An early successful harvest in Peru, mostly small sized mahi was noted, followed by a drop off in catch levels. Imports from Peru (Oct-Dec 2023) stand at a record 3.8 million pounds...
ANALYSIS: Blue and Red Swimming Crab Meat Hit 52-week Lows on Special Grade
As discussed last month, the crab meat market in the U.S. continues to be a tale of two different groupings of sizing grades: larger grades under upward pricing pressure and smaller grades seeing downward pricing pressure. Because the overall size of crabs has been smaller for the past several months out of the Asian producing countries, we have continued to see a smaller percentage of colossal, jumbo lump, and super lump available to the marketplace. When crabs run smaller...
The Retail Rundown: Abundance of Springtime Eating Occasions
There is an abundance of springtime eating occasions and grocers are gearing up for a triathlon of sorts with Cinco De Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day fast approaching.
The produce section and the meat case are expected to benefit from Cinco de Mayo as those celebrating load up on beef, pork, and chicken for a variety of dishes like tacos, fajitas, burritos, and carnitas. These dishes are often accompanied by fixings like guacamole and salsa, boosting sales of avocadoes, mangoes, and more...
ANALYSIS: Is the Frozen Tuna Market Poised for A Rebound?
As seasonal warm weather envelops the nation, a traditionally revitalized phase of food service and retail demand emerges. This seasonal shift entices consumers outdoors, whether they're firing up grills at home or embarking on vacation adventures. Many market participants are optimistic that this transition will breathe new life into the frozen tuna market, lifting it from its stagnant state.
Throughout 2023 and into the first half of 2024, the economy grappled with the impact of elevated interest rates and pervasive economic uncertainty, leading to...
ANALYSIS: Navigating Shifts in the 2024 Sockeye Season
The 2024 sockeye season presents notable changes compared to recent years. In 2022, there were record landings in Bristol Bay, resulting in a robust frozen supply leading up to the 2023 season.
At this time last year, talk of frozen 2022 product in the millions of pounds, coupled with another strong forecast, created uncertainty heading into the fresh season. Prices on frozen sockeye fillets, for example, saw a steep decline as many sellers reduced prices to stimulate sales and maintain product flow in an effort to...
ANALYSIS: Farmed Salmon at Retail Wanes
The market conditions in the farmed salmon complex post-Easter appears to be highly dependent on country of origin.
On the Chilean side, with Easter behind us, retail demand has dwindled. Retail buying opportunities or promotions were down significantly the week after Holy Week. The amount of buying opportunities recorded was the lowest number of promotions the market has seen in two years outside of the week of Thanksgiving in the United States. When retail demand wanes, the fresh spot market feels it, almost instantaneously. Fresh Chilean fillets moved lower both Tuesday and...
The Retail Rundown: Competitive Prices Drive Traffic; CPI Update
The coming weeks and months present favorable weather conditions for grilling and travel, considered supportive of protein sales from both a retail and foodservice standpoint. And with a few notable items displaying comparatively attractive prices, the retail sector is well positioned to capitalize on pent-up grilling demand.
Below, we’ll explore a few notable items featured near or below year-ago levels last week, when some households celebrated Easter.
First up is beef ribeye, which averaged $10.79 discounted, down $2.24, or 17.2% from a year ago. Beef...
The Retail Rundown: The April Outlook
The first inklings of planting season have made an appearance and with it comes the prospect of prolonged warmer weather. April typically launches a period of improved foodservice and retail demand as the shift in seasons encourages consumers to venture outdoors and fire up the grill. Moreover, spring break is underway, giving a boost to foodservice interest.
With spring in full swing, feature volume will begin to shift from roasts, popular with cooler weather cooking, to grilling cuts. Currently, the pork category overtakes seafood for a second consecutive week with the most feature volume...
ANALYSIS: Mid-Small Blue and Red Crab Meat Under Pressure
Like we discussed earlier this month, the crab meat market in the U.S. has been a tale of two different groupings of size grades: larger grades under upward pricing pressure and smaller grades seeing downward pricing pressure. Because the overall size of crabs has been smaller for the past several months out of the Asian producing countries, we have continued to see a smaller percentage of colossal, jumbo lump, and super lump available to the marketplace. When crabs run smaller...
ANALYSIS: 2024 Pacific Halibut Season Outlook
As the start of each fresh halibut season arrives every March, anticipation sweeps along the Pacific coast of the U.S., Alaska, and British Columbia, as fishing vessels embark in their pursuit of the highly coveted Pacific halibut. Discussions about potential dock prices, landings, and initial fish prices fill the air as boats make their way back to port. Yet, reminiscent of last year's quotas, demand fluctuation, and pricing trends, market participants are tempering their anticipation, exercising caution in their expectations.
The 2024 season commenced on...
ANALYSIS: Chinook Fishery Yields High Landings in Southeast Alaska/Yakutat for 2024
As the winter troll chinook or king fishery in Southeast Alaska/Yakutat (SEAK) nears its conclusion for the season, it's evident that 2024 has been robust, boasting some of the highest landings in a decade. According to the latest figures from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the total count stands at 38,735 chinook or king salmon. This represents a remarkable 133 percent increase over the same period in 2023, when landings totaled 14,887; and a...
The Retail Rundown: Seeing Green
Grocers and foodservice establishments alike are seeing green ahead of what is expected to be a record-setting St. Patrick’s Day for spending.
According to an annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics with the National Retail Federation, consumers plan to spend an average of $44.40 per person on the holiday coming up on Sunday, March 17th, amounting to a record $7.2 billion in collective spending—up from $6.9 billion in 2023.
The top spending categories are food and beverages—sláinte! And with the holiday falling on a weekend this year...
ANALYSIS: January Shrimp Imports Decline Rapidly with AD/CVD in Background
In data released Thursday, and with the backdrop of caution given the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) maintaining the antidumping (AD) and countervailing duties (CVD) on imported shrimp with initial decisions soon, January shrimp imports fell 13.5 percent from last year. January 2024 figures came in at 131.041 million pounds, compared to 151.535 million pounds last year.
There were broad declines from many of the top trade partners. India (-18.1%), Ecuador (-5.7%), Indonesia (-19.6%), Vietnam (-5.7%), Thailand (-24.4%), and...
ANALYSIS: Record Wide Spreads Hit Lobster Tail Market
Supply concerns began to emerge in the market for American lobster products after a disappointing fall 2022 effort. Each season, 2022, and both in 2023 had supply gaps in landings where supply was less than expected. Prices have now been on the rise for 14-straight months, rapidly accelerating in the first two months of 2024. Sellers are allocating product for the most part in fear of not being able to meet needs through the spring (the next opportunity for meaningful replacement). Sellers hold remaining inventories with...
ANALYSIS: Surging Atlantic Halibut Imports With Sporadic Pricing to Start 2024
Over the past decade, the Atlantic halibut market, especially concerning imports into the United States, has undergone a significant and consistent upward trajectory. From 2008 onward, there has been an annual increase in imports, with only a marginal 3% exception noted in 2022. In 2008, imports stood at 2.87 million pounds, while by 2023, they had surged to an impressive 12.27 million pounds, marking a substantial increase of 326% and a 10.7% increase from the previous year. Some market participants speak...