Christine Blank, a veteran freelance writer and editor, covers all aspects of the seafood industry, from fishing to processing to selling and serving the final product. When she is not writing for SeafoodSource, Christine gets to taste scrumptious seafood dishes at U.S. restaurants for her food and travel blog, Flavorful Excursions (www.flavorfulexcursions.net). Christine loves to eat seafood of any kind, but lobster, crab and crawfish are among her favorites. In addition to SeafoodSource.com and SeaFood Business, Christine’s articles have been published in hundreds of leading magazines and newspapers, such as The New York Times, USA Today and Associated Press.
Author Archive
Published on
February 6, 2026
The National Football League’s Super Bowl on 8 February, followed by Valentine’s Day on 14 February, have provided U.S. retailers and restaurants with a prime opportunity to offer seafood promotions this month.
Consumer spending on Valentine’s Day is expected to reach a record USD 29.1 billion (EUR 24.7 billion), according to a survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. If that amount of spending… Read More
Published on
February 5, 2026
After closing 15 Bahama Breeze restaurants last year, restaurant operating group Darden Restaurants has opted to close or convert all remaining 28 locations of the Caribbean-inspired, seafood-focused chain.
Since last June, Darden executives have stated that Bahama Breeze was no longer a strategic priority for the company. At the time, Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said the company was considering selling the chain entirely or converting all of its… Read More
Published on
February 4, 2026
The National Grocers Association (NGA), a U.S. trade association that represents retail and wholesale grocers, has claimed that national grocery “power buyers” – especially Walmart – are violating antitrust laws and raising U.S. food prices.
In a late January letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), the NGA highlighted newly unsealed court filings from a previously dismissed FTC lawsuit against… Read More
Published on
February 3, 2026
Correction: Chicken of the Sea has informed SeafoodSource that information in the Gold Star recall was inaccurate. The company confirmed it never sold the SKU listed in Gold Star's product list. Chicken of the Sea also confirmed a UPC listed by Gold Star connected with the company is for a product that it has no record of selling to Gold Star.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently found that a facility operated by Minneapolis,… Read More
Published on
February 2, 2026
U.S. foodservice growth is expected to be stagnant this year overall, but a few companies have been able to realize sales success or pursue expansion plans in an otherwise sluggish industry.
Restaurant chain Chili’s continues to outperform its casual restaurant dining competitors, and in the second fiscal quarter of 2026, Chili’s comparable restaurant sales increased 8.6 percent, according to the chain’s Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.-based parent… Read More
Published on
January 30, 2026
E-commerce giant Amazon announced on 27 January that it is closing all of its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go retail locations in the U.S. to focus more on expanding its online grocery delivery service and investing in Whole Foods Market stores.
“While we've seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven't yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale… Read More
Published on
January 28, 2026
The U.S. is experiencing a “K-shaped” economic recovery as 2026 remains in its early stages, which will drive purchases of both value and premium products this year, according to Christian Lawrence, the head of Americas and energy markets research at Dutch financial services firm Rabobank.
Consumer confidence for the majority of Americans has “plummeted” as a result of ongoing inflation, with Americans paying 27 percent more for food… Read More
Published on
January 28, 2026
Aldi US has announced plans to open more than 180 stores by the end of 2026, which would bring its total nationwide footprint to nearly 2,800 stores.
In the medium term, the Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A.-based retailer hopes to widen that store count to around 3,200 stores by the end of 2028 thanks to USD 9 billion (EUR 7.8 billion) in investments to expand, strengthen its supply chain, and upgrade its online shopping experience.
Aldi plans to… Read More
Published on
January 27, 2026
The number of limited time offers (LTOs) featuring seafood has dropped at U.S. restaurants since Covid-19 and particularly decreased last year.
Speaking at the 2026 Global Seafood Market Conference, which took place in Hollywood, Florida, U.S.A., from 18 to 22 January, Datassential Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Kelley Fechner said this trend has paradoxically played out as American consumer concerns about the economy have risen,… Read More
Published on
January 26, 2026
St. Simons Island, Georgia, U.S.A.-based SeaPak Shrimp and Seafood is expanding its lineup of frozen retail products, based partly on flavors and species that are resonating with Gen Z consumers.
To that end, the supplier is rolling out Chili Lime Shrimp, Breaded Flounder Tenders, and Breaded Scallops in U.S. retailers such as Food Lion, Weis Markets, SpartanNash, and BJ’s Wholesale Club. The price range for the three new products is USD 8.99… Read More
