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 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
Published on
January 22, 2026
U.S. restaurant operators are facing some of the most turbulent economic headwinds since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to experts presenting at the 2026 Global Seafood Market Conference in Hollywood, Florida, U.S.A., as overall restaurant traffic declines and consumers are preparing food at home more often.
“The new normal is flat,” Circana Vice President of Perimeter Melissa Rodriguez said during a 20 January panel focusing on… Read More
Published on
January 21, 2026
Last year, inflation affected the prices of both meat and seafood at U.S. retail stores, but growing consumer preference for protein ensured that sales still rose despite the price hikes.
In 2025, seafood prices rose 2.1 percent to USD 10.52 (EUR 8.98) per pound on average, 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink said at the 2026 Global Seafood Market Conference, which is being held in Hollywood, Florida, U.S.A., from 18 to 22… Read More
Published on
January 16, 2026
Several major U.K. grocery chains have pledged to phase out the sourcing of shrimp slaughtered by eyestalk ablation and/or ice slurry methods, but Aldi UK has yet to make any similar commitments.
In response, protestors associated with the International Council for Animal Welfare (ICAW), the Animal Activism Collective, and other local activists recently entered Aldi UK headquarters in Atherstone, U.K., staging a filmed statement inside the… Read More
Published on
January 15, 2026
Seafood inflation at U.S. retail stores rose again to end 2025, leading to increases in sales by value but declines in sales by volume in most seafood categories in December.
The biggest price increases during the month came in frozen and shelf-stable seafood, which both jumped 8.4 percent in December, according to new data from Circana analyzed by Lakeland, Florida, U.S.A.-based 210 Analytics. Fresh seafood prices, meanwhile, increased 1.6… Read More
