Norway to Benefit from EFTA's New Free Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR

Last week, Norway and the other European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) countries agreed on a new free trade agreement with the MERCOSUR countries, thereby creating a free trade area covering nearly 300 million people across eight member nations.

The newly established trade deal removes duties on almost all Norwegian exports, improving market access for various key Norwegian industries including energy, industrial goods, shipping, and seafood. Other goods not determined to be duty-free under the trade deal will see their duties gradually reduced over a period of four to...

Ecuador Establishes New Union Representing Nation’s Fishing and Aquaculture Sector

At this year’s South Pacific Expopesca—which was held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from June 18-20—key stakeholders representing Ecuador’s fishing and aquaculture sector came together to sign a commitment act establishing the Unión de Pescadores y Acuicultores del Ecuador, a non-profit, nationwide civil corporation open to all formally operating stakeholders within Ecuador’s fish sector.

The result was Ecuador’s new fish union, which will focus on strengthening representation within the country’s fishing and aquaculture sector while advancing sustainability and staying grounded in principles of sustainability and legality...

Red Lobster Renews Partnership with Restaurant Tech Platform Olo, Launches First-Party Catering

On June 25, 2025, hospitality software company Olo Inc. announced Red Lobster’s return to Olo’s digital platform as well as its expanded partnership, which includes new plans to launch first-part catering orders for the seafood chain.

Red Lobster initially entered into a partnership with Olo in 2017, after which time it briefly departed to develop an in-house digital ordering solution. Following this 2023 departure from Olo, Red Lobster underwent a May 2024 bankruptcy filing and subsequent company reorganization and brand refreshment...

The Retail Rundown: Independence Day Deals in Focus

As the Fourth of July holiday draws closer, competition for front-page ad space among proteins is heating up. Seafood is currently leading with a 29% share, followed by beef and pork, each capturing 24%. Chicken accounts for 18%, while turkey trails at 2.6%.

Burgers and hot dogs remain backyard barbecue mainstays. Several national grocers were promoting 78–84% lean ground beef under $5 per pound, with eye-catching specials as low as $2.27 on a discounted basis.

Over Father's Day weekend...

Mega Sardines Celebrates 50 Years, Achieves Distinction of World’s First Seafood “Superfood”

On June 19, 2025, Filipino food manufacturer Mega Prime Foods Inc. announced that its flagship brand Mega Sardines had been officially recognized by the global network Medical Wellness Association (MWA) as the world’s first seafood Superfood, marking the first designation of its kind in the MWA’s 30+ years.

The MWA awarded Mega Sardines the designation during its 50th anniversary celebration, citing its nutrient profile, commitment to quality and safety, and unique sourcing and production practices made possible through vertical integration, which ensures a product standard of...

Maruha Nichiro Launches Frozen Dog Food Line, Establishes New Pet Food Promotional Office

Japanese seafood company Maruha Nichiro Corporation (MNC) recently announced the establishment of a new pet food business promotional office, which will allow the company to expand its value creation capabilities in the pet food market. This also coincides with MNC’s newest contribution to the pet food industry: frozen pet food for dogs.

According to MNC—which will soon take on the name “Umios Corporation” at the Board of Directors meeting later this month—entering this area of the pet food business is part of its long-term...

Turning the Tide Announces 2025 Marine Industry Awards

On May 26, 2025, Turning the Tide announced its 2025 recipients for the 8th annual Marine Industry Awards, including two businesses, two individuals, and a UNESCO-recognized historic site.

Each year, five awards are given out for exemplary leadership, innovation, and long-term commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador’s marine industries. The five awards include the following: the Industry Leadership & Excellence Award, Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, Innovation Leadership Award, Award of Historical Marine Significance, and Next Wave Leadership Award.  

Turning the Tide Chair Paul Antle and his fellow Board of Directors announced the...

The Retail Rundown: Seafood Leads Memorial Day Retail Ads; Weather Poses Challenges

Seafood leads retail protein promotions heading into Memorial Day weekend, accounting for 28.7% of total featured protein ad volume. Pork follows at 25.9%, with beef at 21.3% and chicken at 19.3%.

Egg feature volume is virtually absent amid sluggish retail demand. Warmer weather is prompting a shift toward fruit and cereal for breakfast, while elevated, though easing, shelf prices continue to dampen consumer interest, according to Expana.

Within the seafood category, fresh and frozen fillets represent the largest share of advertised items at nearly 28%. Raw shrimp...

Seafood Expo Global 2025: Seafood Excellence Global Awards Announced

The 2025 Seafood Excellence Global awards were announced yesterday evening during a reception in the Galleria of Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue at the 31st Seafood Expo Global (SEG), with finalists representing 15 different countries worldwide.

Of the 40 finalists that were selected this year, nine products were selected as finalists for Best Hotel/Restaurant/Catering (HORECA) Product, and 31 products were selected as finalists for Best Retail Product. Products were evaluated based on taste and overall eating experience, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value, and innovation...

International Coalition of Fisheries Associations to Launch New Seafood Nutrition Toolkit in June

A new Seafood Nutrition Toolkit will be available to the seafood world in early June that will raise awareness of the nutritional benefits of seafood to global audiences, backed by the most recent scientific research. 

The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA), based in Reston, VA, is working with Global Seafood Communicators, based in Portsmouth, NH, to construct a resource that will assist ICFA and its members in communicating unified messaging on seafood’s health benefits to a wealth of audiences...

The Retail Rundown: Grocers Turn Up the Heat 

Grocers are turning up the heat in this week’s circulars, leaning into classic summer grilling staples—ribs, burgers, and barbecue fixings—signaling early excitement for the season even with Memorial Day still a few weeks away.

Seafood tops this week’s retail protein promotions, claiming roughly 28% of total ad space. Beef follows with 24.7%, trailed by pork at 23.1% and chicken at 20.2%. Turkey ads were slashed by half compared to last week, now accounting for just 3% of circular space.

Retailers are also highlighting festive favorites ahead of Cinco de Mayo. Ground beef in the 78–84% lean range averaged $4.89 per...

The Retail Rundown: Post-Easter Pause Sets Stage for Protein Push

With Easter now in the rearview, retailers will largely tread water, positioning themselves for a seasonal surge in demand ahead of the start of summer.

Grilling demand is beginning to build toward a Memorial Day crescendo, prompting grocers to build inventory and plan aggressive promotions to jumpstart the season. 

But first up is Cinco de Mayo. While it's a smaller holiday, it can still drive foot traffic. Proteins like pork, steak, and chicken are expected to see solid movement as shoppers make tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and other festive fare...

The Retail Rundown: Protein Adds to Holiday Price Gains

Easter week has arrived and grocers are tapping into the holiday's spending momentum. But for consumers, Easter dinner is shaping up to be pricier than last year, with many holiday staples seeing year-over-year price increases.

According to Expana’s latest US Easter Index—which tracks price changes in key holiday-related commodities—overall prices rose 11.8% year-over-year, driven largely by higher costs in the protein and bakery categories.

Expana’s Easter Protein Index, which covers lamb, beef, pork, salmon, cod, and eggs...

Lineage Acquires New Cold Storage Facility in Bellingham

Earlier this month, refrigerated-storage company Lineage, Inc. acquired three warehouses from Bellingham Cold Storage (BCS) located on Washington’s west coast in Bellingham.

The acquired assets span approximately 24 million cubic feet and include 85,000 pallet positions across three warehouses: the Bellingham Waterfront Warehouse Center, the Orchard/I-5 Warehouse Center, and the Burlington Dry location.

The expansion creates a foothold for the cold storage company at the Port of Bellingham, thus building on Lineage’s network in the U.S. Pacific Northwest region, which now includes 40 warehouse facilities across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho...

NFI Sushi Council Launches New Website

On April 1, 2025, the National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) Sushi Council launched its new website, NFIsushicouncil.com. The Council established the new domain as a one-stop educational source on food safety, product quality, health benefits, and economic updates for all supply chain actors in the sushi industry.

“Having achieved mass popularity, sushi can be found by consumers with ease,” said NFI Sushi Council Chairman Michael McNicholas of Culimer USA. “But for industry, locating the right information on properly sourcing and preparing sushi can be a challenge.” 

The NFI Sushi Council’s website coincides with the group’s core...

The Retail Rundown: Spring Sizzle Fuels Protein Demand

Spring promotions are in full bloom at retail, with holiday-themed ads ramping up. Circulars showcase produce and snacking items alongside grilling staples, aiming to entice shoppers with vibrant displays and seasonal appeal. Beyond holiday preparations, schools and universities are approaching spring break season, likely driving an uptick in foodservice in the coming weeks. 

In some regions, grocers are leveraging hams as loss leaders ahead of Easter. Last week, discounted bone-in ham averaged $2.56 per pound, while spiral-sliced varieties stood at $2.61 per pound—steady to lower than last year’s levels...

High Liner Finalizes Acquisition of Conagra Seafood Brands for $12.6M Less Than Initial Agreement

In a press release published today by High Liner Foods, the frozen seafood processor officially completed its acquisition of Conagra Brands subsidiaries Mrs. Paul's and Van de Kamp's for USD $42.4 million, $12.6 million less than the initial $55 million disclosed earlier this month.

The adjusted price accounts for an estimated $23.8 million of inventory that was acquired as part of the closing transaction. This differs from the normalized target of $36 million, which was previously laid out in the...

VASEP Elects New Chairman for Five-Year Term

The Vietnamese Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) recently elected Do Ngoc Tai as its new Chairman for Term 7, which will run from 2025-2030.

In a letter to VASEP members, partners, and the Vietnamese seafood industry, Do—who is also the founder and CEO of seafood company Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company (TAIKA)—addressed VASEP’s goals for the next five years.

First and foremost, he acknowledged the Executive Board and Standing Committee’s responsibility to build on generations of past VASEP leaders and reinforce VASEP’s...

Red Lobster Announces Return of Crabfest and New Seafood Boil Options

On June 23, 2025, Red Lobster announced the return of its annual Crabfest event along with new flavors and all-new Seafood Boils.

The promotional event follows a series of recent ups and downs for the seafood dining chain, which is currently rebounding from a bankruptcy filing more than a year ago. The company has also experienced significant leadership turnover, with a fresh lineup amassing by November 2024 for its CEO, CFO, and COO.

As part of the latest Crabfest, Red Lobster is now offering two seafood boil options...

The Retail Rundown: Grocers Set Stage for Final Summer Push

With Father’s Day in the rearview, grocers are setting the stage for the final big buying event of the summer: the Fourth of July.

The upcoming holiday marks the last major retail push before Labor Day and serves as a key buying window for proteins like beef ahead of the mid-summer lull. To keep product moving, grocers are expected to lean heavily on promotions and feature aggressive pricing in the coming weeks.

Post-Father’s Day, pork and chicken are poised to capture more...

The Retail Rundown: Seafood Leads Father’s Day Protein Promotions; CPI Shows Mild Increase

For Father’s Day weekend, seafood leads retail protein promotions, accounting for 28% of total ad volume. Beef follows at 24.8%, with pork close behind at 23.6%. Chicken claims 19% of protein ads, while turkey makes up about 3%.

Egg features remain limited for now but are on track to gain ground next week amid improving retail demand. While egg consumption typically slows around this time of year due to reduced baking and fewer hot breakfasts, eggs are emerging as one of the few proteins seeing price relief at retail—standing out amid peak seasonal...

USDA Announces Section 32 Pre-Solicitation for Atlantic Groundfish and Pacific Pink Shrimp

On May 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans to purchase commercially available Atlantic Groundfish and Pacific Pink Shrimp for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.  

According to the USDA’s announcement, potential materials purchased include frozen Atlantic pollock fillets (material code 111291), frozen haddock fillets (material code 111292), frozen ocean perch fillets (111293), and Pacific salad shrimp (material codes 111453 and 111454).  

The May 23 notice was only a pre-solicitation for seafood bids. Formal solicitations for firm-fixed-price contracts with the...

Federal Purchases of US Seafood Products Have Increased More Than Five-Fold Over Past Decade

U.S. government purchases of seafood products have risen significantly since 2016, when about $70 million worth of salmon, catfish, and shrimp was purchased by the government for various federal food programs. In 2023, that total was $345 million, just under a five-fold increase in seven years. Estimates for 2024 show even more increases, currently predicted to be just over $360 million.

Purchases of fish and seafood also comprise a growing share of USDA purchases, up from 2% of procured foods...

Seafood Expo Global 2025 Begins Today in Barcelona

Today marks the start of the 31st edition of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global (SEG) in Barcelona, which brings together key players of the global seafood industry, including retail buyers, food service and distribution businesses, importers, government and industry leaders, and suppliers for seafood, equipment, and packaging. 

The event is taking place at Fira de Barcelona’s 51,217-net-square-meter Gran Vía Venue between May 6-8.

A total of 2,187 companies from 87 countries and 68 national and regional pavilions are exhibiting this year, totaling an estimated economic impact of...

FDA Finalizes “Healthy” Food Definition, Includes Nuts, Seeds, Eggs, Olive Oil, and Salmon Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently finalized its definition of ‘healthy’ for U.S. food products, thus allowing foods like nuts, seeds, higher-fat fish, and certain oils—which were previously not included in an earlier version of the rule—to bear the word “healthy” on their packaging and other food marketing materials.

As Expana reported in December 2024, varieties of these foods such as fresh, frozen, or canned options are also listed in the update, so long as they have no added ingredients...

CSI Launches Global Certification Program for Wild-Capture Seafood

When it comes to certifications, Certified Seafood International is making some changes. 

Or, more specifically, it’s going global and encompassing the successes gained by the Responsible Fisheries Management Program, a certification program for wild-capture fisheries.  

CSI was developed in partnership with credible regional certification. The certificates and standards of the GSSI-benchmarked RFM program will now be part of CSI, meaning that approximately 3 million metric tons of fishery landings are currently certified under the updated umbrella of CSI’s certification program.  

The Program’s new global governing board currently includes individuals...

Trump Signs New Executive Order to Strengthen US Seafood Industry, Review Marine National Monuments

On April 17, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order, titled “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” which focuses on improving the domestic seafood industry by addressing unfair trade practices, instating new policies that promote domestic seafood resources, and revising current regulations that “overly burden America’s commercial fishing, aquaculture, and fish processing industries at the fishery-specific level.”

Collaborating with the domestic seafood industry

Per the order, the Secretary of Commerce (Howard Lutnick) will cooperate with the Regional Fishery Management Councils (RFMC), interagency partners, and other stakeholders...

JBT Marel Appoints Two New Fish Division Directors

Global technology solutions provider JBT Marel recently announced two new appointments in its Fish division, including Diego Lages as the division’s new service director and Jón Birgir Gunnarsson as the new sales director.

Lages, who previously held the role of Global Sales Director within the Fish division, brings forth 26 years of experience working in the fish industry.

"I am incredibly excited to take on the role of Director Service, Fish at JBT Marel. This feels like a return to the days when I built strong sales and service organizations in several..."

Glaciar Pesquera Achieves South America’s First FISH Certification

Recently, FISH Standard for Crew Inc. announced that two vessels of the Glaciar Pesquera S.A. fleet had been awarded FISH certification, making it the first Argentinian company to achieve FISH certification and the first company in South America to achieve such certification.

The certified vessels—the B/P Atlantic Surf III and B/P Capesante—both harvest Patagonian scallops in Argentina. Following extensive policy and procedure review, on-site vessel inspections, and in-person interviews with crew members, the two Glaciar Pesquera vessels were granted individual FISH certifications, having met all standard...

The Winding Glass: We Will All Pay the Price for Tariff Stupidity, Incompetence, and Hubris- Opinion

Trump has no tariff plan. Most tariffs are negotiated on specific commodities, with painstaking analysis of costs of inputs, subsidies, and trade balances. Anyone who remembers the imposition of shrimp tariffs in 2004 knows that even though the process was driven by the politics of domestic shrimpers, the actual process was detailed and company specific. As a result, those companies demonstrating a lack of subsidy and realistic cost inputs avoided significant tariffs. Within a short time, the shrimp market was healthy again...