Trace Register Partners with Raw Seafoods to Enable Full Chain Traceability and Compliance

Trace Register, a seafood traceability solutions company, recently announced its partnership with Raw Seafoods, a wholesale seafood supplier based out of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

As part of its partnership, Raw Seafoods has rolled out Trace Register’s TR5 platform, which focuses on full chain traceability, product quality, and regulatory compliance through continuous monitoring and analysis capabilities.

For over 15 years, Trace Register has served clients in more than 50 countries. The traceability company utilizes GDST and GS1 databases and focuses on proactive compliance measures with key regulatory...

The Retail Rundown: Holiday Countdown Rapidly Winds Down

With Thanksgiving just three weeks away, the holiday rush is fueling retail traffic as shoppers stock up on essentials. This week, turkey promotions account for 3.3 percent of all protein ads, down from 5 percent the previous week. The number of grocery chains featuring turkeys also declined, with 39 chains participating, compared to 49 chains a week earlier.

Despite fewer promotions, fresh whole turkey sales rose week-over-week, reaching $1.3 million last week, up from $909,368 the week prior, according to Circana...

The Retail Rundown:  Port Strike Sends Shockwaves Throughout Supply Chain 

The strike at East and Gulf Coast ports officially began once the calendar turned to October, following unsuccessful contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).

The strike's impact is being felt throughout the supply chain, causing significant disruptions in the flow of goods ahead of the rapidly approaching holiday season. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, USMX stated that its current offer includes a nearly 50% wage increase. In response, ILA said it has rejected USX's offer "because it fails to address...

The Retail Rundown: Going All-Out for Autumn

Fall is just around the corner, with the official start of autumn this Sunday, September 22. As cooler weather sets in and travel plans wind down, grocers are ramping up their offerings of seasonal favorites to align with the change in consumer preferences. 

According to the Expana Retail Activity Index, seafood continues to lead for the fourth week in a row, making up 30% of total protein ads. Beef and pork are close behind, each at around 25%, while chicken accounts for 14%. Eggs represent 2.8% of retail opportunities, and turkey has 2.3%...

The Retail Rundown: Rising Feature Volume for Roasts

This month marks an ideal blend of seasons for the retail sector, as grilling cuts continue to be featured along with autumn favorites like hearty roasts and everything pumpkin. The shift to cooler weather is already being reflected in increased promotions for pork and beef roasts, which have earned a larger share of circular ad space this week. 

In the beef category, roasts now account for 26.4 percent of total ad space, up from 17 percent the previous week. Steak promotions eased to 36.9 percent, a nearly 10-point decline from...

ANALYSIS: Fresh Whole Salmon Situation

The farmed salmon index has ticked up slightly through the month of August. Much of this can be attributed to the lack of whole fish in the U.S. market. West Coast Canadian whole fish have been unquoted since the beginning of August.

This has applied upward pricing pressure to the market in some areas; one of which appears to be Eastern Canadian whole fish. Pricing on 12–14-pound fish for example has ticked slightly higher during the month of August. Currently, the Canadian product is observing a premium over both...

COSFF Appoints Seafood Industry Veteran as Business Development Manager

Seafood industry veteran Dane Wigand has joined Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods (COSFF) as its new Business Development Manager, Foodservice & Wholesale. 

Wigand most recently served as the National Sales Manager at Prime Seafood Imports. He’s also held sales manager positions at Pescanova USA, Ocean Garden Products, and Ocean Beauty Seafoods. In his new position at COSFF he will be reporting to Tiffany Hicks, Senior VP, Foodservice & Wholesale.  

“We are excited to welcome Dane to our team,” said Hicks. “His deep expertise and extensive experience in the seafood industry are...

You Otter See This: Feds Publish Summary Report of Communities’ Comments Regarding Sea Otters

More than one year and 26 pages later, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has summarized the concerns and comments from Oregon and California communities as they pertain to potential sea otter reintroduction.

The report, which was shared widely with several community leaders ahead of it going live on the USFWS website today, is short, but highlights general concerns and comments (several appendices include more detailed information). The sea otters’ potential impact to commercial crab and sea urchin fisheries ranked high on the attendees’ list of...

Canadian Government Invests in Land-Based Salmon Farm Start-Up

With open-net pen salmon aquaculture set to be banned in British Columbia coastal waters by June 30, 2029, the Canadian government is looking at alternatives. This week Sophie Chatel, Member of Parliament for Pontiac, announced on behalf of the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for CED (Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions), a repayable contribution of $99,998 for Samonix Inc. 

Samonix was founded in 2020 with the goal of growing land-based aquaculture of Atlantic salmon. The company purchased land in...

The Retail Rundown: Leaping Towards Labor Day

Labor Day weekend, often viewed as the unofficial end of summer, is just two weeks out. Many families are seizing the opportunity for one last vacation, boosting foodservice spending.

For some students, summer break has already concluded, and back-to-school shopping for essentials like breakfast and lunch items is in full swing. Among retailers, Labor Day is recognized as the final major grilling event of the year, marking the last big push to promote barbecue favorites.

Last week, boneless skinless chicken breasts were featured at $4.43 discounted, 18 cents above...

Public Health Alert Issued For Illegally Imported Fisheries Products From Myanmar

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert late last week for a variety of products illegally imported from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. 

USDA has certain export requirements for products from Myanmar. In this case, the following seafood items were discovered to have been illegally imported from the country:

- Grandma Style Sardine in Tomato Sauce (400g)
- Grandma Style Fried Carp with Curry Paste (100g)
- Grandma Style Steamed Carp Fish (130g)
- Grandma Fish with Salt (100g)
- Grandma Steamed...

Seafood Expo Asia: Photos Of All 8 Seafood Excellence Award Finalists  

For the second year, Seafood Expo Asia is hosting its own Seafood Excellence Awards to highlight some of the interesting (and delicious) new products on the market. And ahead of the upcoming event, which is set to take place in Singapore from September 4-6, show organizers Diversified Communications have announced the eight award finalists. 

In order to enter the competition, companies must have introduced a new seafood product— in either the retail or HORECA (Hotel/Restaurant/Catering) sector—within the last 18 months. The eight finalists were...

West Coast Longliners To Get a Fourth Halibut Opener in August

Low turnout for the third Pacific halibut opener on the U.S. West Coast — Area 2A — means NMFS will hold a fourth fishing period later this month.

NOAA Fisheries announced Friday that the fourth opener for the directed commercial fishery will be held from 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29.  

The total allocation for the directed West Coast fishery is 249,338 pounds (113 mt), net weight (all weights are shown in net weight). NMFS said an...

Trending Now: Single Ingredient Treats In The Pet Food Space

In recent years there has been a growing interest in eating items with “clean” labels. People want to understand what they are putting into their bodies. And the same goes for their pets. Single ingredient treats are rising in popularity, and the seafood industry is cashing in on this trend.

There is so much more than just fillets when processing fish. The seafood industry has long used byproducts, such as heads, frames, skin and viscera, to create additional products like fishmeal, fish oil and other...

Revised Schedule Released For Frozen Shrimp Investigation Into Ecuador, India, Indonesia and Vietnam

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a notice in the Federal Register on Wednesday announcing a revised schedule for the subject investigations into frozen warmwater shrimp from Ecuador, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

This past May, ITC established a schedule for the conduct of the final phase of the subject investigations. The Commission explained that, “subsequently, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a memorandum tolling certain statutory and regulatory deadlines by a total of seven days.

“The Commission, therefore, is revising its schedule to...

Russia Plans to Increase Fish and Seafood Imports to South Korea in Years to Come

Russia plans to increase the supplies of its fish and seafood to South Korea in years to come, considering its market a high priority for its fish exporters, especially after a significant cut of supplies to Western markets. 

Still, in the first half of the current year, fish and seafood supplies from Russia to South Korea decreased by almost 25% to 136.700 tons (equivalent to 426.3 million in value terms). 

Despite this, Russia became the second country in terms of fish imports to...

The Retail Rundown: Eggs Rule the Roost During Baking Season 

As October reaches its midpoint, many homes are filled with the irresistible aromas of freshly baked goods, marking the onset of the holiday baking season.

This seasonal shift benefits the egg case as eggs find their way into breads, cookies, pastries, pies, and more. Also, more consumers are reaching for hot breakfasts as the weather turns colder, which further boosts egg demand.

Data from Circana shows that the average retail feature price for large, white Grade A eggs averaged $3.72 per dozen last week...

The Retail Rundown: Onwards to October

With October nearing, the shift in retail meat features from grilling cuts to roasts is picking up pace. More households are utilizing their ovens and crockpots, making it prime time for hearty ingredients like chuck roasts and pork shoulders.

Still, warmer weather lingers in some regions. For those with favorable grilling conditions, shoppers may find deals on items like steaks, ribs, and pork chops as retailers work to move any extra inventory. 

This week’s retail buying opportunities show seafood continuing to lead, making up 26.9% of protein advertisements, followed by pork at 24.7%, beef at 21.2%...

Red Lobster Emerges from Bankruptcy, Officially Names New CEO

Red Lobster has closed the book on its bankruptcy and enters a new era with a new captain at the helm.

The seafood restaurant chain announced its exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the completion of its acquisition by RL Investor Holdings LLC. The firm also officially announced Damola Adamolekun as its new CEO.

Earlier this month, a federal court approved Red Lobster’s bankruptcy plan, paving the way for RL Investor Holdings to snatch up the company and keep its over 500 locations in operation, along with the...

The Retail Rundown: September's Seasonal Shifts

Although there are about two weeks left to enjoy summer, many consider the season unofficially over following Labor Day. The retail landscape is starting to reflect this shift, where factors like cooler weather and football season are already influencing consumer demand. 

The frozen/convenience aisles and deli counters benefit from back-to-school needs and provide quick meals for busy households. Circana data indicates that prepared dishes/kits earned $18.1 million in total sales last week, up from $17.7 million the week prior. Over in lunchmeat, fresh packaged turkey retailed at $7.21 discounted, an 18-cent year-over-year decrease.  

Mowi CEO Announces Strategic Review Of Canada West Business

Salmon giant Mowi is making its next move in the battle over aquaculture in B.C.’s Discovery Islands. This week CEO Ivan Vindheim announced a “strategic review of the Canada West business unit in response to continuing uncertainty with respect to the government of Canada’s policy on salmon farming in British Columbia.” 

Just this past June current Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Diane Lebouthillier announced a 5-year license term to transition from open-net salmon farms. As part of the plan, open net-pen salmon aquaculture will officially be...

Oceana Sues NMFS for Failure to Protect Coral in Gulf of Alaska’s Seafloor Habitats

The conservation group Oceana filed a lawsuit last Monday against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for failing to meet its obligations under the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to include Gulf of Alaska coral and sponge habitats in their recently updated 2023 Essential Fish Habitat five year review. Oceana asserts that coral and sponge habitat are impacted by bottom trawl gear fishing for groundfish in the area, and the Council and NMFS are...

ASC Releases 2023 Annual Impacts Report; Check It Out Here

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) released its Annual Impacts Report for 2023, highlighting the “wide range of environmental and social impacts delivered by the ASC programme in 2023.”

“2023 was a year of milestones for ASC as we formally launched the ASC Feed Standard, the Improver Programme by ASC and the ASC Chain of Custody Module,”  said ASC CEO Chris Ninnes. “I am extremely proud of our work to drive transformation and our impact not just in the wider seafood farming sector, but also in offering improvement and...

UK Grocer Tesco Updates Farmed Decapod Crustacean Welfare Policy

UK grocer Tesco has updated its farmed decapod crustacean welfare policy — a welfare commitment that is being praised by nonprofit group Mercy For Animals.

Tesco’s policy was updated with the goal to provide transparency across supply chains and drive improvements. As part of the policy, all of the grocer’s farmed products must come from farms that comply with a recognized assurance scheme, such as the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Global GAP or BAP. The grocer said that they are also committed to reducing antibiotic usage and publicly reporting the...

Tsukiji Kanisho Offers Low Priced Barents Sea King Crab and Snow Crab for Year-End Sales

Tsukiji Kanisho of Tokyo has the largest share of crab traded in Japan and is aggressively promoting king crab and snow crab from the Arctic Ocean and Barents Sea for the year-end sales. The new catch of Far East snow crab is expensive, and due to the weak yen, the price has risen to about double what it was last year. King crab is also expected to be expensive, and "it is expected to rise to about twice the...

Japan’s H1 Surimi Imports Up 8.6% 

Japan’s Ministry of Finance recently announced that surimi imports in June 2024 were 16,079 tons, a slight decrease of 0.6% compared to the previous year.

According to Kamaboko News, imports from the United States were 6,585 tons, a decrease of 0.9% compared to the previous year, while imports from Thailand, Argentina and Indonesia increased by 34.3% to 1,182 tons, 18.9% to 573 tons, and 7.1% to 105 tons, respectively. Imports from Russia were 1,377 tons, an increase of 2.5%.

Imports from Southeast Asia included:

- An 8.4% decrease to 1,380 tons from...

9th Circuit Rules Against Wild Fish Conservancy, Supports Southeast Alaska Troll Salmon Fishery

Last Friday the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court ruled against a lower court decision from May 2023 that temporarily halted the Alaska troll salmon fishery, an economic driver in several Southeast Alaska communities. 

The three-judge panel ruled that the lower court had “abused its discretion” and “erred by overlooking the severe disruptive consequences” of its action.

In June of 2023, the Ninth Circuit ordered a stay of the lower court ruling 11 days prior to the July 1 start of the summer troll season, but the...

ANALYSIS: Retail Salmon Promotions Up 5.2 Percent 

The Chilean fresh fillet market remained flat on 3-4s for the 4^th week in a row. In a marketplace that can at times be very volatile, the fresh Chilean fillet market has been relatively stable since the beginning of July, falling in total $0.15 over the course of a 7 week period.  

When looking at the 3-year average, the market is currently 7.6 percent lower, but on the 5-year average, the market is higher, up 4.5 percent.

Furthermore, when looking at the...

Canadian Government Announces Funding To Support PEI Oyster Industry After MSX Outbreak

Last month, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) declared a control zone after the first case of Haplosporidium nelsoni — also known as multinucleate sphere unknown, or MSX— was confirmed in Prince Edward Island (PEI) oysters. Now, the government is offering up funding to support the PEI oyster industry. 

“Prince Edward Island has long been known for its delicious and fresh quality oysters,” said Diane Lebouthillier, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. “The recent detection of MSX in oysters in PEI reminds us...

Seafood Show Tokyo Targets 30,000 Visitors, Attracting 1,000 Overseas Buyers

The 26th Japan International Seafood Show in Tokyo is set to take place at Tokyo Big Sight East Halls 5 and 6 from August 21 to 23.

"We want to put it on a par with the world's top three seafood shows," says Managing Director Miwako Takase.

The number of visitors to be held this year is expected to exceed last year's 23,394. The goal is to attract 30,000 visitors, approaching the all-time high of 33,572 attendees. This time, 630 exhibitors are scheduled to exhibit at...