6 seafood innovators to watch in 2022

seafood innovators to watch in 2022

BY MADELYN KEARNS

Uncertain times did not deter North American seafood suppliers from advancing innovative practices and products, as showcased in SeafoodSource’s Top 25 Seafood Product Innovators list, released in September 2021. Six of the companies making the latest list – Annasea Foods Group, Bristol Seafood, Chicken of the Sea, Pacific Seafood, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, and True North Seafood – rose to the top by catering to trends set off by the COVID-19 pandemic and applying creative ideas about how to get Americans even more hooked on seafood.

ANNASEA

FOODS GROUP

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC caused many North American consumers to spend the better part of the last two years cooking and eating at home. It’s a trend that fueled retail purchases of ready-to-eat and ready-to-serve bulk pack poke products for Kent, Washington, U.S.A.-based Western United Fish Company, which operates as Annasea Foods Group.

Nine flavor profiles comprise the firm’s Poke Meal Kits range, including Shoyu Ahi, Wasabi Ahi, Limu Ahi, Spicy Ahi, Albacore, California Roll Ahi, Sriracha Salmon, Garlic Shrimp, and Sweet Chili Tofu. Similar to sushi, the flavors in each kit are both recognizable and unique, offering “a familiar bridge to making customized bowls at home,” the company told SeafoodSource.

As grab-and-go counters at retail have become increasingly more popular over the course of the pandemic, Annasea has seen explosive sales of its 10-pound bulk packs of ready-to-serve poke kits.

“With the grab-and-go ease of pre-mixed fish and sauce at the seafood counter, customers can now enjoy the same eating experience of [dining] out at home,” the company said.

In the frozen aisle, the firm said its 10-ounce poke kits – especially its Annasea Wasabi Ahi Poke Kit, Annasea Shoyu Ahi Poke Kit, Annasea Sriracha Salmon Poke Kit, and Annasea Spicy Ahi Poke Kit – continue to grow in popularity. The company attributes the rise to “shifting trends towards workfrom-home and active lifestyles,” as consumers seek healthier food options and clean protein.

“Wellness- and fitness-focused adults, college students, and families seek nutritious, quick, convenient, customizable meals at home,” the company said, noting that its line of poke meal kits delivers what these modern consumers crave: convenience, value, portion-control, and uniqueness for under USD 10.00 (EUR 8.53) per kit.

In August 2020, Annasea introduced California Roll Ahi Poke and Sweet Chili Tofu Poke to its 10-ounce poke kit line, which boasts products that are all ready to thaw, mix, serve, and eat.

The California Roll Ahi Tuna Poke Kit features sustainable, traceable, wild-caught ahi tuna, while the Sweet Chili Poke Kit includes ready-to-eat Japanese-style deep fried tofu.

“California rolls are evergreen in sushi and fast-casual dining; and reliably available as a foodservice item. To help drive this demand and extend the familiar flavor profile in the market, Annasea’s California Roll Ahi Poke meal kit offers a trendy, in-demand product customers can make at home, anytime. Additionally, with 57 percent of consumers saying they are trying to eat more plant protein, Annasea Sweet Chili Tofu Poke Kit offers convenient meal kits, serving two to three [people] per 10-ounce kit,” the company said of the products in August 2020.

BRISTOL

SEAFOOD

FOR PORTLAND, MAINE, U.S.A.-based Bristol Seafood, the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t alter the supplier’s innovation process, but it did provide “some direction” for its latest retail range, the company told SeafoodSource.

Bristol called its Seafood Singles range, announced in June 2021, “a pandemic brainchild.” Featuring center-cut Atlantic salmon portions paired with compound butter and spices, the line highlights how “convenient and high-quality frozen seafood can be,” according to Bristol Seafood Vice President of Marketing Iréne Moon. Packed in perforated, easy-peel singles, the range comes in flavors such as lemon and pesto butter, and ginger and garlic butter.

“With Bristol Seafood Singles, the consumer has easy access to the number of portions they want for their meal at a moment’s notice. Combining this convenience with our values of sustainability, clean ingredients, gourmet flavor, and minimal packaging is something everybody can be excited about,” Moon said of the new offerings.

The Bristol Seafood Singles range is a recent incumbent into the firm’s extensive seafood portfolio, which includes IQF bags of scallops, shrimp, haddock, and cod; its My Fish Dish value-added skin-pack line, sold both frozen and in slack-and-sell formats; and its Bristol Grab & Go retail range, launched in February 2021.

With all of its offerings, Bristol looks to “make a positive, lasting impact on the world,” the company said.

“We believe that eating more seafood has the power to improve people’s health, reverse trends contributing to climate change, and preserve our freshwater resources,” it explained. “We are on a mission to make seafood America’s favorite protein by consciously and transparently sourcing quality seafood, responsibly producing it in Maine, and bringing convenience and flavor that shoppers and restaurant guests will love. That is why we are the first Fair Trade-certified seafood company in the U.S., and we are bringing new products to market to eat seafood at home more often.”

As more consumers started cooking from home during the pandemic, the company saw sales of its value-added My Fish Dish range increase dramatically. The popular line, first announced in March 2019, includes highquality seafood along with seasonings, sauces, compound butters, and marinades “to give the home cook a convenient way to achieve restaurant results.” Bristol expanded the range in February 2020 with grab-and-go items, wildcaught cold-water shrimp, and new flavors such as Lemon & Pesto Butter, Sweet Chili, and Garlic & Herb.

Rapid growth in the U.S. seafood grab-andgo segment prompted the supplier to introduce its Bristol Grab & Go retail range last year. Linecaught Alaska cod and farmed Atlantic salmon, among other items, are showcased in the range, which seeks to provide “quality seafood in a contemporary format aimed at delighting the evolving retail seafood consumer,” the company said.

Scallops also grew in popularity over the past two years, and this fanfare doesn’t appear to be dissipating anytime soon, Bristol said.

“Consumers have gained a love for scallops in the last decade. The majority of this was consumed in restaurants. When eating out in restaurants was not an option at the start of the pandemic, consumers started cooking them at home and realized how easy it was,” the firm said. “The retail demand has become so high that prices more than doubled, and it’s not easing. North Atlantic scallop prices are high, and while the imports from Peru and Japan prices have also increased, the increase is much more moderate. These imported scallops are gaining popularity both in foodservice and retail.”

For 2022, Bristol said it has exciting announcements in store that support its “mission to make seafood America’s favorite protein.” “Stay tuned!” it said. •

CHICKEN

OF THE SEA

A SHARED APPRECIATION for convenience and great flavors has been driving seafood purchases for consumers and operators alike over the past few years, according to Thai Union Group-owned Chicken of the Sea.

“We’re seeing innovations that are driven by convenience and great flavor, for both consumers and for operators,” the company told SeafoodSource.

As the COVID-19 pandemic gripped North America, Chicken of the Sea met consumers with familiar favorites, in addition to newer valueadded items.

“Core tuna, our classic Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light tuna, did exceptionally well in the pandemic,” the company said. “Consumers were gravitating towards familiar favorites, and we were happy to be included in that product set. Consumers were forced into staying at home, and our Chunk Light sales were up as a family favorite.”

As of June 2021, the company introduced several new products into U.S. foodservice and retail channels, centered on shrimp and crab. The rollout included seven frozen value-added shrimp products, along with crab cakes. According to Thai Union North America President and CEO Bryan Rosenberg, Chicken of the Sea decided to spotlight shrimp in its newer offerings after extensive consumer research and feedback across channels yielded a sentiment that there was “white space” in the category.

Chicken of the Sea’s latest Crispy Stuffed Shrimp appetizer line comes in three flavors: Creamy Wonton, Creamy Jalapeno, and Creamy Garlic and Spinach. Meanwhile, its new breaded shrimp items include Perfectly Crisp Shrimp, Maple Sriracha Shrimp, Nashville Hot Shrimp, and Buttermilk Ranch Shrimp. Rosenberg said the company convened its innovation teams from both Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods (COSFF) and Chicken of the Sea International (COSI) to finesse the flavors of the launched items.

CHICKEN OF THE SEA CONTINUED

“A key insight we noticed in retail is that shrimp had limited flavor variety beyond traditional breaded and battered and coconut, leaving an opening for us to push the category forward with indulgent flavors and unique breading systems or applications,” Rosenberg said.

Chicken of the Sea said its frozen Perfectly Crispy Shrimp “has been a great solution for operators – the proprietary coating keeps shrimp crispy for up to two hours in the hot case.”

“We’ve seen the trends that consumers are getting more ready-to-eat items at their retail deli counter and they are less likely to order breaded items from restaurant takeout menus to avoid the sogginess that usually occurs. This item solves for both,” the company said. “Additionally, the frozen Crispy Stuffed Shrimp line provides decadent appetizers or meals with the convenience of home. Ready in just a few minutes, they are full of flavor for a delicious restaurant-style experience.”

The company pointed out that it began developing its latest frozen items before the pandemic, “as we saw the market trends, but the behavior change from consumers and operators as everyone adjusted to life in COVID increased the need and accelerated the trends.”

“More people are preparing seafood at home, experimenting with new flavors, and ordering takeout more than they ever have. Operators are working on thinner margins and trying to manage their labor costs. Perfectly Crisp and Crispy Stuffed Shrimp both solve for those needs,” it said.

Chicken of the Sea’s latest crab cake offering showcases the firm’s expertise and history of sourcing blue swimming crab, and the species’ growing popularity among U.S. consumers, Rosenberg added.

“Moving into the value-added space with a consumer favorite was a clear growth opportunity,” he said.

In late summer of 2020, the company debuted another key, innovative line to its portfolio roster: Wild Catch, a range of shelf-stable hand-selected cuts of fish packed with water and sea salt. Packed in 4.5-ounce containers, Wild Catch consists of three species varieties, including responsibly wild-caught, preservative-free Albacore Tuna, Ahi Yellowfin Tuna, and Alaskan Salmon.

Wild Catch seeks to capitalize on the growing trend towards the consumption of healthy, clean protein, according to Chicken of the Sea International Director of Innovation Patty Essick.

“Whether topping a salad for lunch, adding as the finishing touch to your favorite pasta dish for dinner, or enjoying right out of the cup as a snack, Wild Catch is perfect for anyone looking for a nutritious, high-quality protein any time of day,” Essick said, adding that the products pack 23 grams of protein per serving.

In 2022, Chicken of the Sea said it’s still “focused on addressing the trends in the market.”

“For consumers, it’s going to continue to be about convenience and restaurant-quality at home. For operators, we are looking at where we can provide products and services that help them navigate through the changing market,” the firm said. •

OCEAN BEAUTY

SEAFOODS

IN TERMS OF product development, Ocean Beauty Seafoods Vice President of Retail Sales Ron Christianson told SeafoodSource the COVID-19 pandemic has been a bit of a doubleedged sword.

“The pandemic has been good and bad for product development,” Christianson said. “Not being able to travel and see firsthand what is happening in the market and to visit customers and see their stores has limited valuable input into our innovation process. However, it also has allowed us more time to work on new ideas and develop items that require longer lead times. Our team has adapted quite well, and we are looking ahead to some exciting new developments.”

In 2020 and 2021, Christianson said Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based Ocean Beauty saw consumers flocking to products that offered “a more elevated experience for in-home dining,” such as the firm’s Ocean Beauty Cedar-Wrapped Salmon, which has experienced retail success in the U.S. West and Midwest. “There aren’t many products like it on the market,” Christianson said. “We take wild salmon and season it and wrap it in real cedar, so the finished product takes on a delicious smoky taste. The technique makes for a special meal, and it adds the variety and convenience that consumers are looking for after a year-and-a-half of cooking three meals a day.” Additionally, Christianson said consumers have been really responding to the Captain Findus line of frozen products that Ocean Beauty has been distributing across North America. The range, which features European-style breaded and value-added seafood, steamable flavored cod loins, and frozen portions, has come to the U.S. courtesy of a partnership between Ocean Beauty and Findus.

In 2020, Ocean Beauty debuted Captain Findus Battered Cod and Pollock, made from wild Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)certified cod and pollock, with a crunchy

OCEAN BEAUTY SEAFOODS CONTINUED

English-style breading and batter, and Captain Findus Fish Sticks, made from MSC-certified premium, once-frozen pollock with Captain Findus’s signature breading in traditional and gluten-free varieties.

“Ocean Beauty hasn’t been in the breaded seafood category, so the Captain Findus products will enhance our offerings to retailers and foodservice operators,” Christianson said. “We believe that the success of the products will be based on their quality. They use premium ingredients: once-frozen, wholemuscle, MSC-certified seafood with a high percentage of fish to breading.”

More recently, Echo Falls Alaska Sockeye Salmon Tapas Slices and Hot Smoked Alaskan Sablefish have also proven attractive Ocean Beauty innovations to showcase on cheese and charcuterie boards, Christianson said, as the dining format picks back up as pandemic pressures ease.

“In 2022, you are going to see major changes in our hot smoked salmon line-up. We are also making packaging enhancements on our Echo Falls line of smoked seafood. I’m not ready to discuss the details yet, but we will be announcing these new innovations soon. We will also be adding some very innovative new products from Captain Findus to bolster our range,” Christianson said. •

PACIFIC

SEAFOOD

WITH FOODSERVICE OPERATIONS shuttered practically overnight as of late-March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Clackamas, Oregon, U.S.A.-based Pacific Seafood had to alter its approach to meet the channel’s new needs.

“After in-person dining shuttered almost overnight, we found products designed for takeout boxes and meal kits were in demand by our foodservice customers as they pivoted their offerings,” the company told SeafoodSource.

A gradual return of the foodservice sector in 2021 meant another shift for the company, as focus fell on “products that reduce food waste like pre-portioned fish,” it said. Interest in profitable meal solutions, such as Pacific’s Tidal Tots, “an easy-to-prepare appetizer,” has also been picking up steam.

Moreover, Pacific said “many operators are still seeing success with meal-kits and takeout options for consumers who still hesitate to return to indoor dining.”

Regarding retail, demand for value-added products, ready-to-eat offerings, and elevated meal solutions has been building, according to the supplier.

“On the retail side, consumers were hungry for new ready-to-cook/eat products and looking for more premium experiences in the absence of restaurant dining. In response, we expanded our value-added production capabilities and launched new, more approachable products like our Honey Miso Salmon, Coconut Curry Salmon, Shrimp Skewers, and our Chef’s Signature Crab Cakes that are pre-portioned and ready to pop in the oven,” it said.

Traci Chidester, the assistant general manager for Pacific Seafood Clackamas – one of Pacific Seafood Group’s seven distribution centers – said in January 2021 that “a trend in recent years toward ready-to-eat [and] ready-to-cook products that make seafood more approachable and easy to prepare at home” was accelerated by COVID. The faster format migration helped inform the creation of Pacific’s aforementioned value-added tray pack retail line.

In May 2021, Pacific Seafood announced that it was working on launching unique value-added seafood items with partners such as Amazon and Pac-12 university football and basketball. The company is joining forces with the e-commerce giant to create around 20 value-added seafood items quarterly for Amazon Go stores.

“We are doing some of that private label for them as well as branded Pacific Seafood items,” Pacific Vice President of Marketing and Development Bill Hueffner told SeafoodSource in May 202, regarding the Amazon arrangement. Pacific’s status as a longtime supplier to Amazonowned Whole Foods Market may have played a part in the firm landing the lucrative contract, Hueffner speculated.

“Their company is learning from Whole Foods and others about the retail grocery business, and coming up with different types of models for consumers. It is interesting to be in on cutting-edge conversations with them and create products with them,” Heuffner said.

Meanwhile, as part of its Pac-12 Conference partnership, Pacific is helping to develop seafood sausages and breakfast sausages for promotion.

“We are looking to come out with a ‘tailgate-ready series’ around the football season, designed for grilling outdoors and tailgating, with burgers, sausages, and other products. This will be great for some of those promotions with our retail partners,” Heuffner said.

“In accordance with our mission to feed the world the healthiest protein on the planet, our portfolio of products is focused on items that overcome barriers to the consumption of seafood. We know that a major barrier for consumers is concerns around how to prepare seafood, so for this next year we will continue addressing this on many fronts, from bringing unexpected flavors to familiar products such as frozen dumplings and sausages, as well as meal solutions with new, on-trend flavor profiles,” Pacific said of its aspirations for 2022.

As part of the company’s commitment to sustainability, it said it would also be “working on products that encourage the consumer to try new species to help relieve the pressure on demand for shrimp and salmon.”

“Our tray pack line has been incredibly popular on this front as it allows consumers to quickly grab a new species to try, at an affordable price point, without giving thought about how to season it. We will be expanding these offerings for the coming year,” the firm said. •

TRUE NORTH

SEAFOOD

COOKE-OWNED True North Seafood has been working to capitalize on a pandemic surge down the frozen retail aisle, launching more SKUs (stock-keeping units) into the category “to leverage this shift in consumer behavior,” it told SeafoodSource.

In April 2021, the company announced the U.S. launch of its farmed Atlantic salmon portions and salmon burgers with several retailers, including Harris Teeter, Hannaford, and other regional grocery stores. Salmon that is “sustainably farmed in the cold, clear waters of the Gulf of Maine” and raised without the use of antibiotics features in the premium frozen offerings, True North Vice President of Public Relations Joel Richardson told SeafoodSource.

In Canada, the four-pack Atlantic salmon burgers have had “tremendous retail success,” Richardson said.

“Packed with 23 grams of protein and a simple ingredient deck, this recipe has been a crowd-pleaser and we are excited to have our offerings available this summer for U.S. consumers,” he said.

True North’s wild-caught, deep-sea red crab was a boon product for the business in 2020 and 2021, with its elegant deck of simple ingredients.

“Largely, we have focused on simple ingredient decks overall,” True North said. “For instance, our deep-sea red crab retail packs offer a product that is additive- and preservative-free. We see that consumers are actively seeking products that have either ‘free-from’ claims and/ or simple ingredient decks.”

The wild-caught red crab offering, which was showcased in March 2021 during Seafood Expo North America Reconnect, is comprised of 10.6 ounces of wild-caught deep-sea red crab sourced from Uruguay and frozen at sea, with no additives.

“We wanted to create a real, wild-caught crab product that was accessible to consumers and easy to prepare. By offering a frozen product, we can deliver a product that is 100 percent wild-caught crab meat. No additives, no preservatives, which we know is top-ofmind for consumers,” Richardson said of the product. “Our ability of freezing at sea locks in the freshness that we can then pass on to the consumer for a delicious experience every time.”

The company said it has recently made a concerted effort to embrace protein-forward packaging for its portfolio.

“We also place emphasis on the protein content of our products, as we know consumers are seeking this information to be readily seen front-of-pack,” it said.

This year, True North said it’s planning “to continue growing our True North Seafood branded portfolio and the species within that portfolio, further expanding the True North Seafood shelf set.”

“We also plan to continue to leverage flavor insights to drive new product innovation in pursuit of giving consumers access to restaurant flavor profiles that they can easily prepare at home,” the firm added.

BOOTH # 385

DINING Around Boston

Back Bay

Abe & Louie’s

793 Boylston Street (617) 536-6300 abeandlouies.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

Atlantic Fish Company

761 Boylston Street (617) 267-4000 atlanticfishco.com Cuisine: Seafood

Back Bay Social

867 Boylston Street (617) 247-3200 backbaysocial.com Cuisine: American

Bistro du Midi

272 Boylston Street (617) 426-7878 bistrodumidi.com Cuisine: French

Buttermilk & Bourbon

160 Commonwealth Avenue (617) 266-1122 buttermilkbourbon.com Cuisine: American

The Capital Grille

Hynes Convention Center 900 Boylston Street (617) 262-8900 thecapitalgrille.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Catered Affair at The Boston Public Library

700 Boylston Street (617) 859-2282 thecateredaffair.com/bpl Cuisine: Contemporary American

City Table

65 Exeter Street (617) 933-4800 citytableboston.com Cuisine: American

Citrus & Salt Boston

142 Berkeley Street citrusandsaltboston.com (617) 424-6711 Cuisine: Mexican

Club Cafe

209 Columbus Avenue (617) 536-0966 clubcafe.com Cuisine: American

BASILE – Fine Italian Kitchen

162 Columbus Avenue (617) 350-0007 davinciboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse

75 Arlington Street (617) 357-4810 davios.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

Eventide Fenway

1321 Boylston Street (617) 545-1060 eventideoysterco.com Cuisine: Seafood

Grill 23 & Bar

161 Berkeley Street (617) 542-2255 grill23.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

La Voile

261 Newbury Street (617) 587-4200 lavoileboston.net Cuisine: French

Luke’s Lobster Back Bay

75 Exeter Street (857) 350-4626 lukeslobster.com Cuisine: Seafood

Mistral

223 Columbus Avenue (617) 867-9300 mistralbistro.com Cuisine: French

Red Lantern Restaurant

39 Stanhope Street (617) 262-3900 redlanternboston.com Cuisine: Asian

Rochambeau

900 Boylston Street (617) 247-0400 rochambeauboston.com Cuisine: French

Saltie Girl

279 Dartmouth Street (617) 267-0691 saltiegirl.com Cuisine: Seafood

Select Oyster Bar

50 Gloucester Street (857) 239-8064 selectboston.com Cuisine: Seafood

Serafina Back Bay

237 Newbury Street (617) 426-1234 serafinaboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Sorellina

1 Huntington Avenue (617) 412-4600 sorellinaboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Summer Shack Boston

50 Dalton Street (617) 867-9955 summershackrestaurant.com Cuisine: Seafood

Towne Stove & Spirits

900 Boylston Street (617) 247-0400 towneboston.com Cuisine: American

Beacon Hill

75 Chestnut

75 Chestnut Street (617) 227-2175 75chestnut.com Cuisine: American

Bin 26 ENOTECA

26 Charles Street (617) 723-5939 bin26.com Cuisine: Italian

Cheers - The Original

84 Beacon Street (617) 227-9605 cheersboston.com Cuisine: American

CLINK.

215 Charles Street (617) 224-4004 clinkrestaurant.com Cuisine: Contemporary American

Grotto

37 Bowdoin Street (617) 227-3434 grottorestaurant.com Cuisine: Italian

The Emory

21 Beacon Street (617) 430-6325 theemoryboston.com Cuisine: American

Ma Maison

272 Cambridge Street (617) 725-8855 mamaisonboston.com Cuisine: French

Mooo Restaurant

Beacon Hotel 15 Beacon Street (617) 670-2515 mooorestaurant.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Tip Tap Room

138 Cambridge Street (857) 350-3344 thetiptaproom.com Cuisine: American

Toscano Restaurant

47 Charles Street (617) 723-4090 toscanoboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Cambridge

Alden & Harlow

40 Brattle Street (617) 864-2100 aldenharlow.com Cuisine: American

Amelia’s Trattoria

Kendall Square 111 Harvard Street (617) 868-7600 ameliastrattoria.com Cuisine: Italian

ArtBar Restaurant

Royal Sonesta 40 Edwin Land Boulevard (617) 806-4122 artbarcambridge.com Cuisine: American

Bambara Kitchen & Bar

Hotel Marlowe 25 Edwin H. Land Boulevard (617) 868-4444 bambara-cambridge.com Cuisine: American

Casa Portugal

1200 Cambridge Street (617) 491-8880 restaurantcasaportugal.com Cuisine: Portuguese

Evoo Restaurant

Kendall Square 350 3rd Street (617) 661-3866 evoorestaurant.com Cuisine: Contemporary American

Grafton Street Pub & Grill

1230 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 497-0400 DINING AROUND BOSTONgraftonstreetcambridge.com Cuisine: Contemporary American

Harvest - Harvard Square

44 Brattle Street (617) 868-2255 harvestcambridge.com Cuisine: Contemporary American

Charles Hotel

1 Bennett Street (617) 661-5005 henriettastable.com Cuisine: American

Little Donkey

505 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 945-1008 littledonkeybos.com Cuisine: International

Nubar - At the Commander

16 Garden Street (617) 234-1365 nubarcambridge.com Cuisine: American

Oleana

134 Hampshire Street (617) 661-0505 oleanarestaurant.com Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Pammy’s

928 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 945-1761 pammyscambridge.com Cuisine: Italian

Russell House Tavern

14 JFK Street (617) 500-3055 russellhousecambridge.com Cuisine: American

Summer Shack Cambridge

149 Alewife Brook Parkway (617) 520-9500 summershackrestaurant.com Cuisine: Seafood

Toscano Harvard Square

52 Brattle Street (617) 354-5250 toscanoboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Urban Hearth

2263 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 682-7295 urbanhearth.net Cuisine: American Chinatown/ Theater District

4th Wall Restaurant & Bar

228 Tremont Street (857) 957-0909 4thwallrestaurant.com Cuisine: American

Artisan Bistro

The Ritz Carlton No. 10 Avery Street (617) 574-7176 ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: European/American

Blu Restaurant

4 Avery Street (617) 375-8550 blurestaurant.com Cuisine: American

NEW JUMBO Seafood Restaurant

5 Hudson Street (617) 541-2823 newjumboseafoodrestaurant.com Cuisine: Seafood

Ostra

1 Charles Street South (617) 421-1200 ostraboston.com Cuisine: Mediterranean

Teatro

177 Tremont Street (617) 778-6841 teatroboston.com Cuisine: Italian Downtown/ Financial District

2TWENTY2

4 Liberty Square (617) 723-3222 222bstn.com Cuisine: American

Avenue One

Hyatt Regency Boston 1 Avenue de Lafayette (617) 422-5579 regencyboston.hyatt.com Cuisine: American

Back Deck Grill

2 West Street (617) 670-0320 backdeckboston.com Cuisine: New England

Bostonia Public House

131 State Street (617) 948-9800 bostoniapublichouse.com Cuisine: New England

Boston College Club

100 Federal Street (617) 946-2828 clubcorp.com/Clubs/BostonCollege-Club Cuisine: New England

Casa Razdora

115 Water Street (617) 338-6700 casarazdora.com Cuisine: Italian

Central Wharf Co.

160 Milk Street (617) 451-9460 centralwharfco.com Cuisine: Seafood

Fin Point Oyster Bar + Grille

89 Broad Street (617) 348-1234 finpointboston.com Cuisine: Seafood

Granary Tavern

170 Milk Street (617) 449-7110 granarytavern.com Cuisine: Gastropub

Mariel

10 Post Office Square (617) 333-8776 marielofficial.com Cuisine: Cuban

The Merchant

60 Franklin Street (617) 482-6060 themerchantboston.com Cuisine: Latin/Asian

Mija Cantina & Tequila Bar

1 Faneuil Hall Marketplace Quincy Market (857) 284-7382 mijaboston.com Cuisine: Mexican

Oceanaire Seafood Room

40 Court Street (617) 742-2277 theoceanaire.com Cuisine: Seafood

Parker’s Restaurant

Omni Parker House 60 School Street (617) 725-1600 omnihotels.com/hotels/ boston-parker-house Cuisine: New England

Q Restaurant

660 Washington Street (857) 350-3968 thequsa.com Cuisine: Asian/Sushi

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

45 School Street Old City Hall (617) 742-8401 ruthschris.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

Stillwater

120 Kingston Street (617) 936-3079 stillwaterboston.com Cuisine: American

Union Oyster House

41 Union Street (617) 227-2750 unionoysterhouse.com Cuisine: Seafood

North End/ Waterfront

Antico Forno

93 Salem Street (617) 723-6733 anticofornoboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Aria Trattoria

253 Hanover Street (617) 742-1276 arianorthend.com Cuisine: Italian

Artu Rosticceria & Trattoria

6 Prince Street (617) 742-4336 artuboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Bacco Ristorante & Bar

Boston’s North End 107 Salem Street (617) 624-0454 bacconorthend.com Cuisine: Italian

Boston Sail Loft

80 Atlantic Avenue (617) 227-7280 thebostonsailloft.com Cuisine: Seafood

Bricco Ristorante

241 Hanover Street (617) 248-6800 bricco.com Cuisine: Italian

Cantina Italiana

346 Hanover Street (617) 723-4577 cantinaitaliana.com Cuisine: Italian

Chart House Restaurant

60 Long Wharf (617) 227-1576 chart-house.com Cuisine: Seafood

The Daily Catch Waterfront

65 Atlantic Avenue (617) 772-4400 thedailycatch.com Cuisine: Seafood

La Famiglia Giorgio’s

112 Salem Street Boston, MA 02113 (617) 367-6711 DINING AROUND BOSTONwww.lafamigliagiorgios.com Cuisine: Italian

Lucca Restaurant & Bar

226 Hanover Street (617) 742-9200 luccaboston.com Cuisine: Fine Italian

Mare Oyster Bar

3 Mechanic Street (617) 723-6273 mareoysterbar.com Cuisine: Seafood

Miel Brasserie Provençal

InterContinental Boston 510 Atlantic Avenue (617) 217-5151 intercontinentalboston.com Cuisine: French

Neptune Oyster

63 Salem Street (617) 742-3474 neptuneoyster.com Cuisine: Seafood

Strega Restaurant & Lounge

379 Hanover Street (617) 523-8481 stregaristorante.com Cuisine: Italian

Terramia Ristorante

98 Salem Street (617) 523-3112 terramiaristorante.com Cuisine: Italian

Trattoria Il Panino

11 Parmenter Street (617) 720-1336 trattoriailpanino.com Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nico Ristorante & Wine Bar

Boston’s North End 417 Hanover Street (617) 742-0404 nicoboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Ocean Prime

140 Seaport Boulevard (617) 670-1345 ocean-prime.com Cuisine: Seafood/Steakhouse

Quattro Grill & Pizzeria

264 Hanover Street (617) 720-0444 quattro-boston.com Cuisine: Contemporary American

Ristorante Fiore

250 Hanover Street (617) 371-1176 ristorantefiore.com Cuisine: Italian

Ristorante Limoncello

190 North Street Boston, MA 02113 (617) 523-4480 ristorantelimoncello.com/contact/ Cuisine: Italian

Ristorante Villa Francesca

150 Richmond Street (617) 367-2948 ristorantevillafrancesca.com Cuisine: Italian

Rowes Wharf Sea Grille

Boston Harbor Hotel 70 Rowes Wharf (617) 856-7744 roweswharfseagrille.com Cuisine: Seafood

Smith and Wollensky

Atlantic Wharf 294 Congress Street (617) 778-2200 smithandwollensky.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

Tresca

233 Hanover Street (617) 742-8240 trescanorthend.com Cuisine: Italian

South Boston/ Seaport District

75 on Liberty Wharf

220 Northern Avenue (617) 227-0754 75onlibertywharf.com Cuisine: American

Aura Restaurant

Seaport Hotel 1 Seaport Lane (617) 385-4300 aurarestaurant.com Cuisine: Contemporary American

Capo Restaurant

443 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127 (617) 993-8080 Cuisine: Italian

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House

250 Northern Avenue (617) 951-1368 www.delfriscos.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

Empire

1 Marina Park Drive (617) 295-0001 www.empireboston.com Cuisine: Asian

Gather

Distric Hall 75 Northern Avenue (617) 982-7220 www.gatherboston.com Cuisine: American

MORTON’S - The Steakhouse

2 Seaport Lane (617) 526-0410 mortons.com/bostonseaport Cuisine: Steakhouse

Row 34

383 Congress Street (617) 553-5900 www.row34.com Cuisine: Seafood

Sportello

348 Congress Street (617) 737-1234 sportelloboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Strega Waterfront

1 Marina Park Drive (617) 345-3992 stregawaterfront.com Cuisine: Italian

South End

Aquitaine Bistro & Wine Bar

569 Tremont Street (617) 424-8577 aquitaineboston.com Cuisine: French

Barcelona Wine Bar

525 Tremont Street (617) 266-2600 barcelonawinebar.com Cuisine: Spanish

B&G Oysters Ltd.

550 Tremont Street (617) 669-1073 bandgoysters.com Cuisine: Seafood

The Beehive Restaurant

541 Tremont Street (617) 423-0069 beehiveboston.com Cuisine: International

Boston Chops - Urban Steak Bistro

1375 Washington Street (617) 227-5011 bostonchops.com Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Butcher Shop

552 Tremont Street (617) 423-4800 thebutchershopboston.com Cuisine: French

The Elephant Walk

1415 Washington Street (617) 247-1500 elephantwalkboston.com Cuisine: French-Cambodian

Estragon Tapas

Boston’s South End 700 Harrison Avenue (617) 266-0443 estragontapas.com Cuisine: Spanish

Five Horses Tavern

535 Columbus Avenue (617) 936-3930 fivehorsestavern.com Cuisine: American

Frenchie Wine Bistro

560 Tremont Street (857) 233-5941 frenchieboston.com Cuisine: French

Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar

412 W Broadway (617) 917-5626 locosouthboston.com Cuisine: Mexican/Seafood

Metropolis Cafe

584 Tremont Street (617) 247-2931 metropolisboston.com Cuisine: Mediterranean

MIDA

782 Tremont Street (617) 936-3490 midarestaurant.com Cuisine: Italian

Orinoco: A Latin Kitchen

477 Shawmut Avenue (617) 369-7075 orinocokitchen.com Cuisine: Latin

Petit Robert Bistro

480 Columbus Avenue (617) 867-0600 petitrobertbistro.com Cuisine: French

SRV - Serene Republic of Venice

569 Columbus Avenue (617) 536-9500 srvboston.com Cuisine: Italian

Toro Boston

1704 Washington Street (617) 536-4300 toro-restaurant.com/boston Cuisine: Spanish

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHT NORTH AMERICA The Seafood Marketplace for

Keynote to address the impacts of supply-chain challenges, inflation on 2022 economic outlook

BY MADELYN KEARNS

Since the early part of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive global economic upheaval, and continued disruption is certain for the seafood industry in 2022 as a result of rampant inflation and an accretion of supply-chain challenges.

In her keynote address at Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, Megan Greene, a senior fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business at Harvard Kennedy School, will examine the structural trends, global trade flows, political factors, and policy developments affecting the seafood industry during these turbulent times.

Greene is renowned for her early economic predictions, which she formulates by investigating the intersection of macroeconomic, financial markets, and politics. Her perspective surrounding world economies has been cited and sought after by business news outlets, including CNBC, Bloomberg, NPR, BBC, and The Financial Times, for which she writes a regular column focused on global macroeconomics.

A former global chief economist for John Hancock/Manulife Asset Management, Greene will utilize her extensive policy and academic background, as well as her C-suite leadership experience, to craft a financial outlook for the seafood industry that will plot potential market opportunities that lie ahead, as well as some of the risks. Greene will serve as the keynote speaker for Seafood Expo North America’s 40th edition, which marks the return to an in-person format following two years of cancellations due to complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Diversified Communications, the organizer of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, said it is committed to bringing the industry together safely for an inperson event in 2022. “We are excited to be back inperson in Boston to reconvene seafood professionals looking to do business in the North American market,” Diversified Communications Event Director Wynter Courmont said. “Year over year, industry suppliers and buyers have valued the business opportunities at the event, and this year will be no exception.”

Greene’s keynote kicks off a comprehensive conference program featuring more than 28 sessions and 124 experts covering industry trends and timely topics on aquaculture; corporate social responsibility; diversity, equity, and inclusion; food safety and compliance (policy); seafood business and leadership; and seafood sustainability, traceability, and transparency.

Keynote: Economic Outlook for 2022 Megan Greene, Harvard Kennedy School Sunday, March 13 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Room: 153 AB » Keynote is free and open to all badge-holders

CONFERENCE PROGRAM NORTH AMERICA The Seafood Marketplace for

CONFERENCE TRACKS

Conference sessions, unless otherwise noted, require a conference registration. If you wish to upgrade your badge to include conference sessions, you can do so at the registration desk (Room 153C).

Aquaculture

Seafood Business & Leadership

Corporate Social Responibility

Food Safety, Policy

Sustainability

Traceability, Transparency

SUNDAY, March 13, 2022

*For the most up-to-date information, including

panelist updates, visit: seafoodexpo.com/ north-america/conference-program/

11:00am – 12:15pm Keynote: Economic Outlook for 2022

SPEAKER: MEGAN GREENE,

Global Economist, Financial Times Columnist & Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School Room: 153 AB

Economic forecasting is a tricky business; they say the key to success is to forecast often. Megan Greene is unafraid to have out-of-consensus views and has a fantastic forecasting track record. She examines high-frequency economic data, structural trends, global flows, political factors, and policy developments to determine the state of the global recovery and to highlight risks and opportunities for businesses and markets. In this keynote presentation, Greene will examine these factors to offer insight on where the global recovery is heading, including an outlook for international supply chain challenges, inflation, and climate change.

12:00pm - 12:45pm

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION BY:

Revolutionizing Shrimp Processing Using Lasers and Steam

Speakers: Karen Quaas, Laitram Machinery; James Lapeyre, Laitram Machinery; Garrett Fine, Laitram Machinery Room: 155 Prior to 1949, all shrimp peeling, deveining, washing, and grading were done manually. This was an exhaustive, time-consuming, and highly inefficient process that served to limit the potential for global growth and commercialization of the shrimp processing industry. Today, over 70 years later, new innovative ways to drive efficiency, increase yields, and reduce costs while improving product quality have become available. Not only do these new technologies provide shrimp processing plant managers with reliable data to maximize their margins based on supply and demand, but they also improve food safety.

For many, two of the most critical processes in shrimp processing (shrimp grading and cooking) still use traditional equipment to sort and cook the product. This session will share a case study on how some processing companies are using the new SMART Laser Shrimp Sorter and CoolSteam Low Temperature force convection cooker to become more efficient, improve quality, and reduce costs. These new technologies are shaping the future of shrimp processing to support future sustainable growth.

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Seafood Trends and Preferences in Foodservice Moving Forward

Speaker: Mark DiDomenico, Datassential Room: 153AB

Mark DiDomenico will draw from Datassential’s extensive resources to examine seafood trends in the U.S. Specifically, he will identify the top and fastestgrowing varieties of seafood on menus, as well as the corresponding flavors and preparations that are paired with each from Datassential’s MenuTrends database. In addition, this presentation will highlight consumer ratings for various types of seafood, utilizing Datassential’s SCORES and Flavor databases, indicating preferred varieties and flavors for target demographic groups (Millennials, Gen Z, etc.). The objective of this presentation is to offer up relevant insights that will help conference attendees better understand seafood trends in the U.S. and build more targeted strategies and initiatives for their organizations.

BOOTH # 372

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency

(SUNDAY CONTINUED)

1:00pm – 2:00pm

FDA and U.S. Customs Update on Seafood Enforcement

Moderator: Peter Quinter, GrayRobinson, P.A. Speakers: John Verbeten, FDA; Todd Owen, Cross Border Advisory Network, LLC Room: 152

The two major Federal law enforcement agencies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs), regulate the importation and distribution of seafood and fishery products in the United States. The FDA uses a methodology to target and inspect imported seafood, then allows it to proceed or refuses its entry into the United States. Customs also targets and inspects seafood shipments and has a new Withhold Release Order process to prohibit the importation of seafood made with forced labor. Customs continues collecting antidumping duties on shrimp from India, fish fillets from Vietnam, and many other seafood products from around the world. There are several penalties for importing misbranded or adulterated seafood. Learn how to lower your risk of being targeted and what to do when your seafood is selected for examination or your company has been added to the FDA’s Import Alert list.

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Why Seafood Quality Is Critical: From Fishermen to the Supermarket and Chef, and How To Deliver It

Moderator: Chuck Anderson, Certified Quality Foods Panelists: Brandii Holmdahl, Bornstein Seafood; Dr. Christina DeWitt, Oregon State University; Denise Englade, Rouses; Jaimy Sorrell, Performance Food Group Room: 151B

According to the most recent FMI Power of Seafood report, quality is the number one factor that seafood consumers are concerned about when buying seafood. It is the number one concern every year. Grocery shoppers feel confident they can buy fresh poultry twenty times in a row and get a good, quality meal twenty times in a row. Do your seafood customers know they will get twenty excellent quality seafood experiences in a row? Our panel of quality assurance and procurement experts explain why quality is essential for all levels of the seafood supply chain, why current seafood quality is inconsistent, and how to improve operations to consistently deliver premium quality.

1:15pm-2:00pm

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION BY:

Benefits of High Pressure Processing (HPP) for Seafood

Speaker: Kevin Kennedy, JBT Avure Technologies Room 155 JBT Avure is here to help partners perfect their products, formulas and packaging. Food safety is an ever growing concern in today’s world, especially with seafood. HPP is used in several segments of the food industry to inactivate foodborne pathogens. In the oyster industry, HPP provides an approved process for the inactivation of Vibrio bacteria which provides a high risk from the consumption of raw oysters and other shellfish Additionally, processors reap extraordinary benefits through the application of high pressure to enhance product offerings and expand market opportunities. HPP is extensively used in the lobster and oyster industries for the extraction of meat with limited or no manual labor. HPP + Seafood at a glance: • Separates 100% of meat from the shells without the use of heat • Increases total meat yield in lobster by 80% compared to heat • Increases productivity, maximizes labor usage and enhances operational efficiencies. • Enhances nutrition, mouthfeel and taste

2:15pm – 3:15pm

2 Years and 1 Pandemic Later: The Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability Establishes the New Normal of Traceability

Moderator: David Schorr or Executive Director, GDST Panelists: Adriana Sanchez, Iberostar; Angel Matamoro, Nueva Pescanova; Michael McNicholas, Culinary Collaborations Room: 153AB

March 2020 marked the launch of the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) Standards, bringing the first-ever global standard for interoperable seafood traceability into a world that quickly shifted to a new way of living and doing business. Despite the immense challenges that businesses faced from the COVID-19 pandemic, momentum has swelled over the past two years with industry and stakeholder support for the GDST Standards as supply chain transparency and traceability has become more important than ever. The GDST Standards are proving to be applicable for more than combatting illegal product from entering supply chains; they’re also supporting companies with critically important work like food safety and, in the U.S., preparing companies for the upcoming FDA Food Traceability Rule. In this session, the GDST Secretariat and industry panelists will highlight implementation success stories from companies around the globe, and dive into the exciting future of the GDST and traceability for the seafood industry. Now that the standards have been in use for two years, the GDST Secretariat will be introducing the next phase of the exciting work in development. You won’t want to miss this session to learn about how your company can act now to stay at the forefront of this leading movement.

2:15pm - 3:15pm

The Rise of Cell-Cultured Seafood

Moderator: Chris Chase, SeafoodSource.com Speakers: Marika Azoff, Good Food Institute; Lou Cooperhouse, BlueNalu Room: 152

In less than a decade, cell-cultured seafood has gone from a niche idea to a multi-million-dollar industry attracting investment from some of the largest companies in the world. While there are still plenty of obstacles between cell-cultured seafood and full-scale commercialization, the industry has seen increasingly rapid progress as multiple companies all work to improve the process and begin production at scale. As the industry grows, it also must begin addressing some of the overarching questions that are still yet to be answered.

2:15pm – 3:15pm

Customs Compliance and Enforcement: Forced Labor

Moderator: Benjamin England, FDAImports.com, LLC / Benjamin L. England & Associates, LLC Panelists: Jessica Rifkin, Benjamin L. England & Associates, LLC; Judith Webster, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Yuri Lee, Department of Homeland Security Room: 151B

This session will provide an in-depth exploration of CBP compliance and enforcement issues in the forced labor area. CBP’s focus on this critical issue continues to increase, with CBP issuing detention orders (WROs) on seafood harvested by multiple individual vessels and, recently, a WRO on seafood harvested by an entire fleet of vessels. Hear from CBP officials on what to expect in 2022 as well as what they think is important and why. Pick up some pointers on what seafood importers should be doing to avoid having their imports suddenly stopped from entry due to forced labor concerns.

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability CONFERENCE TRACKS Traceability, Transparency (SUNDAY CONTINUED)

3:30pm – 5:00pm

Finding The Next Generation of Diverse Seafood Talent

Moderator: Peter Handy, Bristol Seafoods Panelists: Aron Levinson, Hofseth; Lilani Dunn, Bristol Bay; Josephine Theal, Delaware North Room: 152

How does our industry appeal to a diverse group of folx? Where will new talent come from? What are the types of jobs that are available in this global industry? How do we paint the picture of an industry that is fun, exciting, and global, that challenges the problems that need to be solved? How does the category tackle these problems with people that bring a fresh lens to our industry, while exploring diversity, inclusion, and equity?

3:30pm – 5:00pm

Pre-Competitive Partnerships: A Driver for Sustainability in the Seafood Sector

Moderator: Herman Wisse, GSSI Panelists: Tom Pickerell, Global Tuna Alliance (GTA); International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF); Martin Exel, SeaBOS; Laurent Develle, Regal Springs AG; Jim Leape, Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions Room: 151B

Global partnerships, such as the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI), the Global Tuna Alliance (GTA), and SeaBOS individually bring together a dynamic range of significant stakeholders in a pre-competitive effort to tackle the seafood sectors’ complex sustainability challenges. Through collaboration, transparency, and the exchange of knowledge, these partnerships can together create joint solutions to the world’s seafood challenges and work towards a healthy ocean for future generations. Join us for a roundtable discussion to explore the benefits, impacts, and challenges of pre-competitive partnerships in the seafood industry. The panel will investigate topics such as: • What are the opportunities pre-competitive partnerships provide to the seafood industry? • How can pre-competitive partnerships help accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable

Development Goals by 2030? • How do different pre-competitive collaborations work together and amplify their impact? • What value do pre-competitive partnerships provide to suppliers and retailors in the seafood sector?

3:30pm – 5:00pm

NOAA’s Plans To Ensure Resilient Marine Fisheries and Strengthen the U.S. Seafood Industry

Moderator: Kate Naughten, NOAA Fisheries Panelists: Danielle Blacklock, NOAA; Janet Coit, NOAA; Paul Doremus, NOAA; Alexa Cole, NOAA Room: 153AB

NOAA Fisheries works closely with fishing and seafood stakeholders to ensure resilient marine fisheries in the U.S. and to strengthen the seafood industry. Ultimately, our goals include expanding domestic seafood supply, leveling the playing field on trade, and modernizing policies and infrastructure for a more efficient seafood supply chain. During this session, participants will hear from NOAA leadership about the agency’s top priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration, including supporting economic and environmental resiliency of our coastal communities by providing the seafood industry with the critical resources needed for generating greater demand for U.S. seafood.

MONDAY, March 14, 2022

9:15am – 10:00am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION BY:

From Compliance to Sustainability: Your Roadmap

Speaker: Karin Witton, Tosca Room: 151B

In the seafood industry, climate change is a huge driver for more sustainable business practices. In this session, led by sustainability expert Karin Witton, you’ll learn about the different areas that sustainability encompasses, how sustainability creates competitive advantage, and practical “next steps” for moving your organization towards sustainability-forward thinking.

9:15am – 10:00am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION BY

Case-Ready Seafood: What You Need to Know

Speaker: Ken Forziati, Harpak-ULMA Room 153AB

While case-ready packaging may have gotten “its legs” in the meat industry, it’s hitting its stride in seafood these days. So, while retailers’ growing affinity for case-ready foods is not necessarily new, applying it in seafood appeared to challenge long-held consumer preconceptions regarding product freshness. Like many other things, the COVID-19 pandemic helped to accelerate already-changing consumer behaviors on that front. We’ll explore why case-ready seafood needs to be on your radar, and what the options are. The choices made for case-ready production have numerous implications: from product presentation to impacts on operational factors and sustainability objectives. Automation, materials, and methods are evolving quickly – making fresh, safe, healthy, and appealing case-ready seafood one of the hottest trends in packaging today. Join Harpak-ULMA for a brief, but insightful look that can help you better understand the ins and outs of case-ready seafood packaging.

9:15am – 10:00am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION BY:

Ditch the Shucking Knife, Use HPP Technology: 100% Meat Extraction, Food Safety and Shelf-life Extension

Speaker: Dr. Vinicio Serment-Moreno, Hiperbaric Room: 155

High Pressure Processing (HPP) technology is revolutionizing seafood processing, offering food safety, freshness, 100% meat extraction, and new market opportunities. HPP is a non-thermal technology that uses cold water and high pressure to eliminate common seafood pathogens such as Vibrio and Listeria, and slows down the growth of spoilage microorganisms. The use of cold water to generate pressure minimally alters the delicate sensory and nutritional properties of seafood. Therefore, HPP is highly regarded among consumers and processors alike, as it achieves a perfect balance between safety and quality, with a natural

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency (MONDAY CONTINUED)

approach. The technology has had great success with applications including the 100% recovery of oyster and lobster meat, but also fresh pre-cooked crabmeat, desalted cod, marinated tuna, elaborate seafood-based dishes, and ready-to-eat seafood meals.

10:30am – 11:15am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION BY:

Case Study: Using New Technologies to Improve Seafood Buying and Selling, Increase Revenue, and Gain Efficiency

Speaker: Steve Engdahl, Dealboard Room: 155 Finding and negotiating seafood transactions can be time-consuming, error-prone, and risky. Learn how seafood buyers and sellers are applying emerging technologies to expand their global relationships, make closing deals more efficient, and reduce the risk of fraud. This session includes tangible lessons learned and insights about the journey for producers, processors, brokers, and distributors considering improvements in this area.

10:30am – 11:30am

Plenary: 3 Ways To Incorporate a Diversity and Inclusion Program To Benefit Your Business

Speaker: Tony Byers, PhD, Former Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Starbucks Room: 153AB

A properly managed diversity and inclusion program can increase engagement, creativity, and business performance. By also learning to leverage diversity and inclusion through best practices, organizations can turn D&I into a powerful business advantage that stimulates innovation and drives marketplace growth. In this plenary presentation, Dr. Tony Byers shows you how to leverage talent to make business stronger, improve processes, and how to find and retain top talent.

11:45am – 12:45pm

Seafood Procurement: Strategies for Success

Moderator: Phil Walsh, LegitFish Panelists: Chuck Anderson, Certified Quality Foods; Shawn Oliver, Giant Eagle ; Casey Rutherford, Patagonia Sea Farms Room: 153AB

Seafood is unlike any other protein, particularly in procurement. The right product is neither the most expensive nor the least expensive, but rather the product that will deliver or exceed budgeted profit. Correct procurement makes selling it easy and serving it a pleasure. This conference session will provide seafood novices with the fundamentals of procurement; veteran buyers with the procurement tools, methods, and protocols in place today; and the supply community with the immoveable expectations of today’s seafood buyers. Topics will include: How do logistics challenges affect procurement strategies? How does product cost inflation impact buying decisions? Additional topics addressed include wild vs. farmed sourcing strategies, fresh vs. frozen sourcing strategies, paying the right price, timely communications, visiting suppliers, the definition of a good supplier, and the importance of integrity.

11:45am – 12:45pm

Moving from Traceability to Transparency: Diverse Stakeholders Driving Seafood Transparency Expansion

Moderator: Sally Yozell, Stimson Center Panelists: Dr. John Virdin, Director, Duke University; Wakao Hanaoka, Seafood Legacy; Alexa Cole, NOAA Fisheries Room: 152

A lack of transparency pervades the seafood supply chain at every level, across both industrial and artisanal fishing, and aquaculture, impeding effective fish stock management and enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as fair labor practices. The opaque nature of the seafood supply chain heightens the risk that distant-water fleets, smallscale fishers, processors, and fishing companies may engage in IUU fishing and seafood fraud. Consumers want to know that the fish they purchase is not part of illicit activities, labor abuses, or undermining seafood sustainability. Recognizing that transparency must be broadly adopted throughout the seafood supply chain at all levels, there has been growing engagement by a wide set of international stakeholders. This panel will explore changes in market expectations and the latest efforts to expand seafood transparency by civil society, industry, and government. It will also highlight new findings and recommendations from a forthcoming comparative study of transparency initiatives adopted in non-seafood sectors that can offer valuable lessons to increase the reach and effectiveness of seafood transparency initiatives. To combat IUU fishing and gain a greater understanding of the seafood industry’s impact on fisheries sustainability, labor practices, and the economic security of coastal states, there is a growing demand for publicly available information about fishing industry practices and operations.

11:45am – 12:45pm

Transforming Aquaculture: The Future of Seafood Must Include Innovation

Moderator: Sylvia Wulf, AquaBounty Panelists: Yonathan Zohar, University of Maryland; Chef Charlie Baggs, Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations; Stephanie Clarke, Registered Dietician; Joe Lasprogata, Samuels Seafood Room: 151B

The recent report from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that global warming is likely to rise around 1.5 degrees-Celsius within the next 20 years. Aquaculture in marine and freshwater environments is extremely vulnerable to the growing impacts of extreme weather and climate change that will accompany this temperature rise. Given the short runway to find viable solutions to mitigate the worst impacts, and to ensure food security for the world’s growing population, we will need to deploy the rapidly developing tools from the biotechnology sector. Cultivating what are essentially wild organisms in farm settings has many challenges when it comes to growth and feed efficiency, not to mention disease resistance and other desirable production traits. Farming seafood will become even more challenging in the rapidly changing and increasingly unpredictable environment. Innovation and the use of technology – including genetic engineering and gene editing – are viable solutions to provide a safe, secure, and sustainable source of fresh seafood. It is not difficult to imagine the development of more temperaturetolerant, disease-resistant, and faster-growing aquatic species for aquaculture use coming down the road. This session will explore the importance of innovation in the seafood industry and the potential of using technology, and specifically biotechnology, to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on aquaculture.

12:45pm – 1:30pm

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION BY:

Increase Your Brand Value While Achieving Sustainability Goals with IBM Food Trust

Speaker: Kathleen Cook, IBM; Alf-Gøran Knutsen, Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett AS; Pamela Nath, Sustainable Shrimp Partnership Room: 155 At a time when consumers are demanding more transparency about where their food comes from, it is more important than ever to be able to provide transparent and trustworthy information about the life story of your products. This is especially true in the seafood industry, which continues to be challenged

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency (MONDAY CONTINUED) with limited visibility into its supply chain. Gaps in transparency lead to issues around product quality, waste, mislabeling, fraud, and consumer hesitation. Come to this session to hear firsthand how members of the seafood ecosystem – producers, suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and others – are using IBM Food Trust to not only create a safer, more sustainable seafood system for all, but are simultaneously increasing the value of their brand and products.

1:30pm – 2:30pm

FMI Power of Seafood 2022: Consumer Insights Into How and Why They Shop Seafood

Moderator: Rick Stein, FMI Panelists: Guy Pizzuti, Publix; David Wier, The Fishin’ Company; Rich Castle, Giant Eagle; Steve Markenson, FMI Room: 153AB

The annual FMI Power of Seafood report has become a staple of research for the supermarket industry. This is our 4th annual consumer survey. Our insights into shopper behavior and data is considered a tool for retailers in their efforts to grow seafood sales. We explore why consumers are buying what they are buying and why they are not buying what they are not buying. We utilize IRI data to compare the answers consumers give us to what is actually happening. This comparison gives some real insights into how the consumer is navigating the seafood counter. We will address issues like sustainability, social responsibility, and overall seafood sales growth since the pandemic. We will have a panel of retail experts weigh in on how they utilize this data to go to market. Join us as we present the survey results and speak with industry leaders on how they utilize this information in the business.

1:30pm – 2:30pm

Unite the Industry & Creation of a National Seafood Marketing Campaign

Moderator: Linda Cornish, Seafood Nutrition Partnership Panelists: Jim Motos, Rich Products Corporation; Joe Rosenberg, CenSea, Inc.; Jason Driskill, H-E-B Room: 152

It’s time to unify as an industry and be a true competitive force. Industry leaders from across the supply chain have come together to incubate a National Seafood Council to conduct a national seafood marketing campaign. These passionate leaders are working to secure federal funding for the most comprehensive national seafood marketing campaign in our industry’s history. This is your chance to have a voice in the creation of your Council and your marketing campaign. Join us to learn, ask questions, and challenge the team so you are represented.

1:30pm – 2:30pm

RAS Project Development in the United States

Moderator: Cliff White, SeafoodSource.com Panelists: Joe Cardenas, Aquaco, LLC; Ohad Maiman, Kingfish New Zealand; Sylvia Wulf, Aquabounty; Erik Heim, Nordic Aquafarms Inc. Room: 151B

While still small in size compared to major global players, the U.S. aquaculture sector is experiencing growth at all levels, from mom-and-pop sized aquafarms to massive projects such as Atlantic Sapphire’s development in Florida and Nordic Aquafarms efforts in Maine. While still a young industry domestically, the field of viable players is growing and the impact to the marketplace is certain. This panel will concentrate on the rapidly expanding number of recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) projects completed or under development in the United States, with a special focus on hearing from the producers themselves. Aquaco Farms Founder and CEO Joe Cardenas, Nordic Aquafarms President and Co-Founder Erik Heim, Kingfish Zeeland CEO and CoFounder Ohad Maiman, and AquaBounty President and CEO Sylvia Wulf will discuss the challenges and advantages of RAS in the U.S., from permitting to construction, and from farming to marketing and sales.

2:45pm – 3:45pm

Integration of Seafood Certification: Scaling Improvements in Aquaculture

Moderator: Jill Swasey, ASC Panelists: Anton Immink, ThinkAqua; Dave Martin, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership; Nuraini; Sustainaqua, Indonesia Foundation Room: 152

Fishery improvement projects (FIPs) have become an instrumental tool for fisheries sustainability over the past decade. While improvements in aquaculture are just as critical as in fisheries, aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs) are far less developed than their FIP cousins, and have yet to gain traction in the marketplace. At the same time, awareness is growing on the historic and current environmental impacts of aquaculture production, particularly on critical habitats such as mangroves. As aquaculture production increases globally, opportunities exist to both scale-up responsible production while also preserving the biodiversity and climate benefits gained through restoring critical habitats. Three of the leading organizations in responsible aquaculture – the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch – are teaming up in an effort to streamline the path to sustainability for aquaculture producers, engaging more stakeholders in the process, and delivering improvements in farming practices and management that will protect those essential functions gained through restoring critical habitats. Farmers engaged in improvement program pilots are supported through partnerships with local consultants and supply chain partners. These pilots provide farmer support and capacity, building at a greater scale by engaging farmers that have common practices and challenges in a shared region. In some instances, barriers to information requirements can be alleviated through the use of remote monitoring technology and shared impact assessment studies. This allows project partner organizations the opportunity to reduce the burdens and confusion of information needs to farmers, and cater trainings and improvements to the farmer needs and at the scales at which they operate. Together, these organizations will convene a diverse group of industry and other stakeholders to:

• Discuss the importance of aquaculture improvement in relation to assured supply of sustainable seafood; • Explore how landscape level improvements can facilitate farm-level certification (and vice versa); • Highlight opportunities to protect and restore critical habitats and maintain responsible farming practices; and • Share some early lessons learned and opportunities for engagement in pilot aquaculture improvement projects underway.

2:45pm – 3:45pm

How Do We Capitalize on Environmental Awareness to Accelerate Growth on the Heels of the Global COVID Pandemic?

Moderator: Erika Feller, MSC Panelists: Linda Cornish, Seafood Nutrition Partnership; Teresa Ish, Funder/Donor; Eric Ditsch, Amazon Fresh; Christine Lamontagne, Globescan Room: 153AB

Consumers are increasingly aware of their impact on the environment and specifically the impact of their consumption habits on environmental health. This is true for seafood consumers as well, with data showing consumers want more sustainable options. Consumers also demonstrated the importance of seafood to them and their families during a year of lockdowns and quarantines in 2020 with record sales of seafood. How can we leverage a consumer shift in awareness and desire to shop better for themselves and for the planet, and move the sustainable seafood industry forward? Hear from industry, NGOs, and donors working hard to make sustainable seafood an easy option for consumers, and how they’re approaching sustainability and seafood consumers differently in response to COVID-19.

BOOTH # 1739 & 2742

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency

2:45pm – 3:45pm

Harnessing Public-Private Partnerships To Combat Forced Labor in the Seafood Sector

Moderator: Kelly Kryc, NOAA; Alexa Cole, Director, NOAA; Matt Tinning, At-Sea Processors; Adriana Sanchez, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts Room: 151B

Combating forced labor in the fishing industry is a priority for the seafood sector and has emerged as an especially difficult challenge for governments, industry, and civil society. Addressing harmful labor conditions requires a comprehensive approach due to the inherent industry risks, the complexity of the global seafood supply chain, and the diversity of authorities participating in the fishing sector. This session brings together representatives of the U.S. government and outside stakeholders under the auspices of the 21-member U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing, which was established to provide a whole-of-government approach to combating IUU fishing and associated issues like forced labor. The widereaching discussion will focus on the current landscape, challenges, and innovative opportunities to leverage public-private expertise and resources to combat labor issues in the seafood sector.

4:00pm – 5:00pm

How is Artificial Intelligence Going to Disrupt the Seafood Industry?

Moderator: Eric Enno Tam, ThisFish Panelists: Mark Hager, New England Marine Monitoring Room: 152 Artificial intelligence (AI) is already part of our daily lives. Google Maps, Amazon recommendations, Facebook ads – all these technologies are powered by some kind of AI. So, how is AI going to disrupt the seafood industry? Because of the natural variability of fish, it is often difficult for fish farmers, fishermen, and seafood processors to predict quality and production outcomes, such as yields, since there are so many variables. As it turns out, that’s a perfect problem for artificial intelligence, which is set to disrupt the seafood industry. In this session, you’ll learn about what AI is and how it is used, what are its current applications in the seafood industry, and what cutting-edge research is currently being conducted in the industry.

4:00pm – 5:00pm

Alternative Approach: Where the Seafood Industry Stands on Plant-Based Analogs

Moderator: Maddie Kearns, SeafoodSource.com Panelists: John Connelly, NFI; Sam Galetti, Southwind Foods, Great American Seafood Import Room: 151B

Plant-based seafood analog products are proliferating in North America and globally. Some traditional seafood suppliers have looked upon the emerging product segment as an opportunity for new growth, while others in the industry remain skeptical of its classification and positioning in the marketplace. This panel session explores these various viewpoints, from seafood suppliers stepping into plant-based analog product development themselves to those partnering with alternative protein food-makers. How might seafood and plant-based alternatives coexist? Where do the categories connect, and where do they diverge? And what kind of labeling is needed for this analog?

4:00pm – 5:00pm

How Do Millennials Make Their Purchasing Decisions?

Moderator: Richard Stavis, Stavis Consulting Panelists: Luke Holden, Luke’s Lobster; Nick Mendoza, Neptune Fish Jerky; Rob Snyder, Acme Smoked Fish; Rob Johnson, SeaPac; Meghan Russell, Niceland Seafood Room: 153AB

Are you focused on bringing the highest quality seafood to the market at a fair price? That may not be enough. Millennials are the most informed generation of consumers ever. More importantly, they make purchasing decisions based on their value systems. They may have varied priorities; some are focused on seafood sustainability, others on social performance, others on local or wild harvest. What they share is an expectation for honesty, communication, and transparency from the companies and individuals who harvest or sell the seafood that they buy. Companies that do not anticipate the need to connect with this customer base won’t be able to catch up later; you can’t create authenticity on the fly. How do you evolve from a traditional seafood company to one that meets the needs of this new generation of consumers? This panel will break down the process of company self-assessment, creation of a values-based mission and vision, as well as tips on how to successfully drive resilient change in organizations with established workforces. The moderator, Richard Stavis, will take an active role in this session, outlining both the need and the processes for resilient organizational change. Additional panelists will include industry leaders whose companies are values-driven and have been successful in creating digital outreach and consistent messaging to consumers.

TUESDAY, March 15, 2022

10:00am – 11:00am

Seafood Business: A View From the M&A, Investment and Financing Angle

Moderator: Ignacio Kleiman, Antarctica Advisors Panelists: Suma Kulkarni, ACON Private Equity; Thomas Leissl, Blue Artic Finance; Michael Richard, Wells Fargo Room: 153AB

10:00am – 11:00am

Combatting IUU Fishing: The Case of High Seas Squid

Moderator: Braddock Spear, SFP Panelists: Sarah Hussey, Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable Room: 152

A panel of experienced North American finance professionals will provide attending seafood industry participants with updated insight into aspects of the world of finance and investing that affect the running of their business and the value of their companies. To combat each of the components of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, different actions and multiple players are required. Governments need to adopt laws, adhere to international agreements, set regulations, and enforce. Companies trading in seafood need to maintain ethical standards, support government actions to combat IUU, conduct due diligence of sources and suppliers, and impose consequences in response to illegal or unreported fishing activity. The high seas squid fisheries in the waters off the coast of South America present a case study where governments and seafood companies are taking steps to stop IUU fishing. Our panel will provide three different industry perspectives on these issues in the fisheries and actions to take.

10:00am – 11:00am

More if By Sea… Getting Americans to Eat Fish and Seafood More Frequently

Moderator: Arlin Wasserman, Changing Tastes Panelists: RJ Harvey, Chef, Changing Tastes; Penelope Wasserman, Changing Tastes Room: 151B

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency

actually remain unanswered by American consumers and aren’t even the most important for our industry. That may be: fish or chicken? Or really, what should I eat? This session will feature results from an unprecedented new insights study into consumer, chef, and purchasing manager opinions about fish and seafood and how they fit into American food choices. How fish and seafood is harvested and handled may make the difference about whether it is offered up, and whether a consumer eats seafood or maybe chooses something else entirely, like beef or chicken. That’s an important question as the American consumer is undergoing a substantial change in the types of protein consumed, and the next few years pose a unique time to fish and shellfish to win market share from birds and mammals. We’ll explore that and also share some of Changing Tastes’ latest insights and trends about how consumers think about protein choices in the U.S. and on the menu, as seafood competes against poultry and meat, and how newly-emerging cellular and plant-based manufactured alternatives fit into preferences and intentions. One thing to know: Attitudes and preferences vary by species, including whether cellular or plant-based replacements are of interest. And we’ll also look at how consumer thoughts and expectations about how fish is produced compared to other protein choices. Through this session, we hope to break the industry out of the “wild or farmed” paradigm and offer practical advice for how to increase the share of food from the ocean in the American diet and get us eating fish and seafood more often and instead of chicken (again).

11:15am – 12:15pm

Integrating Seafood Plastic and Carbon Action Plans for a Smarter Seafood Sector and Better Environment and Climate

Moderator: Dave Garforth, The Responsible Plastic Management Program CIC Panelists: Joel Baziuk, GGGI; Adrian Davis, The Responsible Plastic Management Program Room: 153AB

Plastic is an essential component used extensively throughout the global seafood industry, from nets, floats, pens, boxes, tubs, bags, liners, clothing, PPE, belts, walls and floors to even boats. It assists with catch efficiency, design innovation, durability of infrastructure and equipment, seafood product protection, insulation and prevention of food waste, and much more. It’s unquestionably the most important material we have ever possessed. But few can ignore the negative impact of global plastic mismanagement on the environment and on climate change. Plastic mismanagement after use has caused a pollution crisis and a call on more virgin plastic to be produced. The production and destruction of global plastic accounts for 56 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Plastic management must be integrated into organizational sustainability and carbon reduction action plans and frameworks for better business and a better environment. Plastic is made almost entirely from fossil fuel, which means it has a significant carbon footprint. But at the same time, it can offer significant advantages in comparison to other materials and, when used correctly and managed responsibly, can offer significant carbon reduction advantages. However, we have sufficient information and tools to make these comparisons and ensure we make better choices. A global shift in the way the industry uses plastic could bring about a substantial contribution to carbon reduction (reducing virgin plastics) and GHG emissions, and seafood plastics needs to be included in the equation to reverse climate impact and loss in nature.

However, we are only just starting to unravel the seafood plastic footprint. Adding the extra dimension of mapping the seafood plastic carbon footprint will be a challenging endeavor, particularly if corporates and businesses must go it alone. Key questions arise: • What are the full considerations and the extent of this double mapping task? • What are the significant contributions to plastic footprints and what are the significant actions that reduce both plastic impacts and carbon emissions, while maintaining viable businesses and, importantly, ensuring seafood continues to contribute to global food security? • What are the policy implications and conflicts (e.g., food packaging legislation versus recycled content)? What are the required economies of scale for collection and recycling? • What the infrastructural requirements and what are technology gaps need to be addressed?

This session identifies how this can be achieved. The panel will be managed by the Responsible Plastic Management Program and the speakers are experts in the field of plastic management and sustainability frameworks. Mapping plastic use, life cycle, end fate, and leakage from the global seafood sector is an emerging activity and forming part of the seafood ESG agenda, but is a very recent endeavor. What has yet to emerge are the facts of if, how, and to what extent a reduced seafood plastic footprint contributes to a reduced carbon footprint. The Responsible Plastic Management Program is a not-for-profit global assurance and improvement initiative for organizations seeking to engage with a responsible plastic management strategy. The RPM Program is engaged with over 15 industry sectors and works across key plastic driven initiatives.

11:15am – 12:15pm

Netting Billions 2020: A Global Tuna Valuation

Moderator: Tom Pickerell, Global Tuna Alliance Panelists: Kristine Beran, The Pew Charitable Trusts; Raiana McKinney, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Author of Netting Billions 2020; Hugo Byrnes, Ahold Delhaize; Greg Hammann, Marine Instruments Room: 152

In 2018, commercial tuna fishing was worth more than USD 40 billion (EUR 35 billion) to the world economy, more than the GDP of at least 100 nations. From canned tuna to top-shelf bluefin sashimi, these fisheries generate significant revenue and support an enormous industry, from the fishers all the way to the consumers. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, demand for nonperishable protein sources, such as canned tuna, has skyrocketed. It is easy to see just how vital the tuna industry is for not just the blue economy – but for food security around the world.

But while vessels are catching more tuna than ever before to meet this demand, the value at the dock and at the final point of sale has decreased since 2012. When factoring in the costs associated with higher catch, profits may have even declined substantially. The message is clear: Catching more fish is not always better for the bottom-line. Sustainably managing tuna fisheries and allowing overfished stocks to recover will maximize their value, reduce the cost of fishing, and sustain marine ecosystems as well as the industries and people who rely on tuna fishing. Better management of tuna fisheries is not simply a conservation issue, but also an economic one.

Yet, more often than not, the long-term sustainability of these fisheries takes a back seat to the short-term political or monetary gains that often drive management decisions. Adopting forward thinking harvest strategies, coupled with stronger consequences for noncompliance and well-developed electronic monitoring of fishing activity would all help restore tunas to healthy population sizes, preserve their value, and ensure that these valuable fisheries are being governed effectively.

This session would start with an overview presentation on recent research to estimate the global monetary value of commercial tuna fisheries. Beyond the economics, the presentation will cover the tuna fisheries management process and discuss ways governments and industry can improve management of fish stocks globally by: 1. Modernizing management through harvest strategies, 2. Improving oversight and accurate reporting of fishing activities, 3. Ensuring consequences for noncompliance with fisheries rules. Following this presentation, the Global Tuna Alliance will moderate a panel discussion.

11:15am – 12:15pm

“Chem-Free” Seafood and other Labeling Claims: A Discussion for Processors, Exporters, Importers, and Buyers

Moderator: Mark Bowen, NFI Panelists: Lisa Weddig, NFI; Bill DiMento, High Liner Foods; Guy Pizzuti, Publix

Seafood buyers, using price as the only purchasing criteria, can become susceptible to misleading labeling practices and buy seafood that doesn’t meet expectations. The panel members will explain the importance of proper labeling, misleading labeling trends, clarify requirements for labeling additives, and advise how buyers can monitor what is contained in the product.

POLYSTYRENE BANS AND PHASE-OUTS PUSHING SEAFOOD PACKAGERS TO SEEK ALTERNATIVES

BY CHRIS CHASE

PRESSURE IS SLOWLY building in the U.S. against polystyrene foams and expanded polystyrene (EPS) – commonly known by the trademarked brand, Styrofoam – as communities and states begin to phase out its use due to sustainabilitylinked concerns.

Regardless of the specific branding or exact chemical makeup, polystyrene foams are a wellknown staple in the food packaging industry. The product’s light weight, low cost, water resistance, and insulation abilities all lend themselves to packaging for proteins like seafood, which needs to be kept cool and sanitary.

However, polystyrene products’ negative environmental impact has also been driving many areas across the U.S. and around the world to begin considering – and implementing – bans on the material.

The U.S. states of Maryland, Maine, and Vermont have all passed and enacted bans on polystyrene, with New York recently joining them as of 1 January, 2022. A ban in New Jersey is scheduled to begin on 4 May, 2022, and one in Colorado, passed by state voters, is set for 2024. The U.S. state of Florida, meanwhile, will consider rulemaking on banning polystyrene later in 2022, following a proposal from Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.

Some communities banned the use of the material by ordinance in certain situations: The town of Freeport, Maine, for example, has banned the use of polystyrene in food packaging and takeout containers since 1990.

Behind almost all of the bans – longstanding and recent – is a similar core motivation: Worry over the material’s long decomposition time and disposable nature. This, coupled with health concerns, has been prompting states to push for alternatives, according to Fried.

“Polystyrene may be convenient, but there is a hidden danger to public health from these disposable consumer products,” Fried said. “Chemicals in polystyrene are not only linked to human and animal health concerns, but because these petroleum-based products take at least 500 years to decompose, their negative effects continue long after they’re thrown away.”

For Oceana Florida Gulf Coast Field Representative Hunter Miller, at the crux of the issue is how fast the material will break down into “microplastics,” which then stick around for hundreds of years, impacting wildlife and affecting human health.

“Polystyrene in particular is problematic because it breaks down into microplastics at an alarmingly fast rate,” Miller said.

Certain retailers have also begun to move away from the material as part of sustainability efforts. Wegmans, for instance, phased out all polystyrene foam egg containers in 2021 as part of its overall goal to reduce in-store plastic packaging by 10 million pounds by 2024.

The pressure, both from retailers and from the government, is already having an effect, according to Christa Biggs, the manager of business development for Aptar Food + Beverage’s food protection division.

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.-based Aptar is one of the largest manufacturers of plastics in the world, and the company has been involved in efforts to reduce the use of plastics and increase the sustainability in the food-container sector.

Much of the waste in the U.S. food stream is at the retail level, Biggs said, and there are companies aiming to change that.

“They’re the ones I’ve seen on my end push for more sustainable packaging,” Biggs said. “In terms of retail, and what I’ve seen from seafood

A synthetic “aromatic hydrocarbon polymer,” polystyrene is the building block of what most people refer to as Styrofoam, and often takes the form of foam or EPS – a separate product made up of polystyrene beads that are injectionmolded into the necessary shape.

“Raw protein packages are typically something that’s the most difficult to replace with something biodegradable.” – CHRISTA BIGGS, APTAR FOOD + BEVERAGE

customers a little more downstream, they are most focused on getting rid of that polystyrene foam from a sustainability standpoint.”

Aptar is one of many firms working on solutions to the issue – like the company’s SeaWell Protective Packaging System, which is designed to preserve seafood quality and freshness.

Packaging is a complicated science requiring careful material engineering to ensure that products are kept fresh and safe in a convenient container, without costing an exorbitant amount, Biggs said. Raw proteins like seafood have challenges switching to alternative materials from plastic, she said.

“Raw protein packages are typically something that’s the most difficult to replace with something biodegradable,” Biggs noted.

Proteins are often wet, she said, and can cause biodegradable materials to decay at the same rate as the meat or seafood contained within them.

“The raw meats, proteins, seafoods … not only are they wet, but they’ve got their own nutrients in there, they’ve got their own chemical reactions going on,” Biggs said. “There’s a lot of things happening at a molecular level that the compostable stuff out there right now, they’re not robust enough to withstand and hold up and provide the same barrier properties.”

Many companies have switched to alternative forms of plastic products that don’t use polystyrene foam, often opting instead for polypropylenebased materials that cost slightly more, but don’t have the same issues. Additionally, such polypropylene-based products are recyclable, a primary aim for modern packaging.

Biggs said for those companies that have switched, it isn’t as simple as changing the material – because of the properties of the different materials, there is no one-to-one packaging solution for the most part.

“We’ve never made the same exact tray dimensions as the polystyrene world was making. I’ve never seen a direct comparison tray, it was never an easy switch,” Biggs said. “The dimensions have never translated over as a copy-paste.”

The newer plastics, made using thermoforming, have different requirements than the polystyrene foam, which means the same shapes and sizes don’t necessarily translate between the materials. The rounded edges of the foam trays, for example, aren’t something easily replicable with the other plastics, Biggs explained.

“If you think about those foam trays, a plastic tray has got a pretty sharp corner, almost 90 degrees,” Biggs said. “If you buy a pound of ground beef now, the tray inner dimensions are more like a 90-degree angle.”

Those changes in angle mean different volumes, which could impact the products inside. On top of that, literally, is the film that covers the product and package. For many foam-based containers, the common method of wrapping the product is an “overwrap,” which involves completely encasing the whole package in some form of clinging plastic film. The problem is that same film often isn’t usable with a new plastic tray, according to Biggs. Foam is often “stickier,” she said, allowing the film to actually cling to it. On the other hand, newer plastics will sometimes allow that material to fall off, or worse, interact at a molecular level with it in negative ways.

Current packaging uses a top-sealed lid instead, but that also requires careful consideration in terms of material, Biggs noted.

“A top-sealed lidding seal has to be compatible with the tray material,” she said, adding that the interaction between the two materials where they seal could vary. Moreover, the wrong materials mixed the wrong way could cause issues.

Even with well-matched materials, actually getting the product into the package can add further complexity to the process.

“Another thing is equipment. The people who were overwrapping before, if they had to change from a tray to a top seal, that’s a completely different piece of equipment,” Biggs said. “It’s extremely complicated, it’s never just an easy switch.”

Changing over an entire packaging line to move away from polystyrene foam isn’t necessarily as simple as swapping out one material for another, and any seafood packaging operation still using the foam may want to consider that before a ban forces a change, Biggs said.

In the future, there may be a replacement for polystyrene foam that meets all the same metrics – affordable, lightweight, and great at insulation. That is where companies are focusing efforts, Biggs said.

“That’s where all the research efforts are,” she said. “There’s no other sustainable resource that can match all of those qualities.”

JOHN CONNELLY

Retiring NFI President reflects on the “crazy and wonderful” business of seafood

BY CHRISTINE BLANK

NATIONAL FISHERIES INSTITUTE (NFI) President John Connelly recently confirmed he will retire in February 2023, the date of his 20-year anniversary at NFI.

Connelly helped to build NFI into the leading U.S. seafood industry trade group. He told SeafoodSource in January that he believes next year will be the right time for him to step away.

“As many as 10 years ago, I began developing ideas of what was important in developing my succession plan. I’ve now been with NFI for 20 years, and I think the organization is in a strong position. From the perspective of our lobbying, communications, our technical skills, we provide good value to our members,” Connelly said.

In this SeafoodSource exclusive for Expo Today, Connelly reveals his most memorable Seafood Expo North America moments, his best and worst days at work, and his advice for the industry’s future leaders. SEAFOODSOURCE: What was your first Seafood Expo North America event trade like? CONNELLY: My first Boston seafood show was in the old Hines Center – readers under 40 will have no idea what I’m talking about! I had started in my role as president only two weeks before, and the show was a whirlwind of hugs (we always tell our incoming staff that this is a “hugging” industry), firm handshakes, and unbridled opinions from strong men and women. I knew Kansas was a distant memory at that point. SEAFOODSOURCE: What is the importance of Seafood Expo North America to the global seafood industry? CONNELLY: For the seafood community, it’s more than a tradition to glean important data from the Global Seafood Market Conference and execute on it at Seafood Expo North America. These days, it’s a must for successful businesses. What Diversified Communications has done with the Boston event – to make it even more global, provide a great venue to meet and learn, work through snowstorms and even a pandemic – is a testimony to their professionalism. SEAFOODSOURCE: What accomplishments are you most proud of personally, and most proud of for the industry as a whole? CONNELLY: Nearly 20 years ago, when I interviewed to be the president of the NFI, I relied on my Holy Cross history degree to paint an important analogy that changed my life. I explained that the seafood industry was like the German states in the 1860s. Each industry sector fought their own battles, like pre-Bismarck Germany. I told them we should unify and fight for our “share of stomach,” and not with each other, much like the chancellor unified Germany. It was important to fuse the seafood industry. For the last part of the decade, we have strived to bring together a more united industry on pre-competitive issues. SEAFOODSOURCE: Are there any changes you’ve seen the seafood industry make over your time at the helm of NFI that surprised you? CONNELLY: Seafood is the last animal protein on the planet that is hunted down in the wild. In the face of technological growth, it’s still a pretty old practice. Despite its ancient origins, the seafood community is a group of very advanced thinkers. I don’t just mean looking at cell-cultured fish or spaceage progress in aquaculture; I mean an evolution in priorities and commitments. The seafood industry understands and is committed to sustainability in a way that few NGOs appropriately grasp.

The industry also made labor and fraud a focus as soon as those challenges peeked over the horizon. They understand that, regardless of the issue, divisive politics and bad policy threaten their livelihoods and that collaboration is the antidote. It didn’t surprise me that the industry has developed to where it is today, but the speed of its adaptation has been impressive. SEAFOODSOURCE: What was your best day at work? What was your worst/saddest? CONNELLY: There are two questions I just can’t answer. The first is, “What is your favorite seafood?” mostly because nearly all seafood is delicious and I’m also ecumenical about our members products! The second is, “What is your best day at work?” I’m proud to say that I do not need a third hand to count the number of days over the past 19-plus years that I have not wanted to go to work. NFI and the seafood community are a fascinating group of people to work for and alongside.

My saddest days are the ones when we learn of the loss of the leaders that built our industry. Seafood is such a personal business, and any time an industry giant passes, it causes me to reflect on if I am doing enough to help grow the industry. SEAFOODSOURCE: What advice would you give your successor and future leaders in the industry? CONNELLY: It has been a great joy of mine helping all of our member companies point in the same proverbial direction. When representing an industry that involves so many interests, it can be challenging to align strong-willed leaders on important priorities. Frankly, there’s a certain level of fearlessness needed when representing the selfmade men and women of our organization. But know that if you put your own heart in the battle, the members will step up and support you every time. SEAFOODSOURCE: Where should the seafood industry place its focus moving forward? What trends or business strategies should suppliers pay attention to? CONNELLY: Global fish consumption is the highest it’s ever been. Fish has become the world’s most traded food commodity. It is important to maintain the extraordinary sustainability efforts of U.S. fisheries, while recognizing the importance of the jobs seafood creates. There’s a great economic benefit to seafood. From vessels at sea, to seafood processing operations, to retailers and restaurants providing healthy and nutritious meals, seafood provides an economic boost. SEAFOODSOURCE: Do you have any parting words to the seafood industry at large? CONNELLY: A simple thanks to all those who have invested in NFI and helped teach me this crazy and wonderful business.

14-16 SEPTEMBER 2022

The Seafood Marketplace for ASIA

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