3:00 p.m. — Closing time. It’s been a successful three days. Thanks to everyone who dropped by the SeafoodSource booth to say “hello,” and thanks to everyone who shared their insight with us for the website and magazine. Hope to see you at the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels, Belgium, in late April. Once again, SeafoodSource Assistant Editor April Forristall and I will blogging from the show floor.
2:15 p.m. — I finally tracked down Mary Larkin, VP of seafood expositions for event organizer Diversified Business Communications and publisher of SeaFood Business magazine and SeafoodSource.com, to ask her about the past three days. “There’s a lot more confidence in the economy, and there’s a lot more interest in the U.S. market,” said Larkin, when asked why there’s been such a positive mood on the show floor this year. Click here to watch the interview.
1:30 p.m. — How do you get more Americans to eat giant squid? Put it in a product form that they’re familiar with. Karl Berger Cisneros, who works in the specialist seafood division of PromPeru, Peru’s export and tourism promotion board, talked about how Produmar’s giant squid burger is generating some buzz on the show floor. The U.S. market is an ideal target for value-added products, said Cisneros.
1:20 p.m. — Arturo Clement, director of SalmonEx, gave a demo of his online trading platform for salmon-related transactions, which include physical transactions, biomass REPOS and forwards. “Here you’ll find the best information available on spot market prices,” said Clement, adding the SalmonEx will increase transparency and access to information in the industry as well as reducing price volatility and risk.
Salmon is due to launch in April, and already 80 percent of Chilean producers have signed on. “There’s been tremendous interest [in SalmonEx] at the show,” said Clement.
11:30 a.m. — I just shot an “Ask the Editor” segment with SeaFood Business Associate Publisher and Editor Fiona Robinson, discussing new products and the wealth of bold and more adventurous flavor profiles that we’re finding on the show floor and in the Seafood Excellence Awards competition. Is this a sign that American consumers are becoming more sophisticated when it comes to dining? Click here to watch the interview.
10:45 a.m. — On Sunday, I talked to Scott Williams, manager of product development and quality assurance for BJ’s Wholesale Club, about the Westborough, Mass.-based retailer beginning to promote its sustainable seafood sourcing policy, featuring it on its website and in a multi-page spread in the latest edition of BJ’s Journal.
Then on Tuesday, BJ’s made it official, distributing a press release announcing that it is on track to meet its sustainable seafood goals by 2014 and has partnered with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, Marine Stewardship Council and Global Aquaculture Alliance to help it meet those goals.
10:05 a.m. — Day 3 of the International Boston Seafood Show is under way. Looking forward to walking the show floor and catching up with exhibitors who I haven’t had a chance to catch up with yet. I’m also catching up on the news, including this announcement from Supervalu.
