Christine Blank

Although more consumers purchase organic, local and sustainable foods, they are most confused about foods that are “sustainable,” according to a new survey.

Seventy-eight percent of people surveyed said they purchase local food or order it at restaurants at least once a month, and 59 percent order or buy sustainable food, according to Technomic’s survey of 1,500 American consumers in its new “The Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report.”

Walmart’s addition of 30 to 40 smaller format stores over the next two years should bode well for fresh and frozen seafood suppliers.

The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant announced its global growth plan in mid-October, which includes adding 32.5 million square feet of selling space worldwide in 2011. Walmart’s large-format stores will experience the most growth, with a projected 152 stores added in the United States in fiscal 2011 and

Jon Bell, a professor in Louisiana State University's AgCenter Department of Food Science, has found himself at the center of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill controversy. As a trainer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Sea Grant program, Bell is responsible for educating seafood processors on sensory tests to detect oil-tainted seafood. Some consumers — and even a few seafood professionals — don't believe that sniff

Maine lobster is among the seafood products being championed this month for National Seafood Month.

In conjunction with National Seafood Month, Maine Gov. John Baldacci proclaimed October to be Maine Lobster Month. As a result, the Maine Lobster Promotion Council (MLPC) is running a TV campaign throughout the state in October and November, which promotes the fall consumption of Maine lobster. The MLPC also shifted its annual cook-off to October

While the Epcot Food & Wine Festival is a big draw for locals and tourists alike in Orlando, Fla., every year, seafood is taking center stage this year. Seafood entrees — including steamed mussels, Atlantic salmon and seared tuna — are a big part of the offerings at the tasting marketplaces throughout the park; about 50 of the 190 entrées served feature seafood.

This year, Epcot added three new tasting marketplaces — Belgium, South

American consumers are getting their food from a broader range of retail and foodservice outlets, but they seem to be more brand loyal to restaurant chains than to supermarket chains, according to a new Technomic report.

According to Technomic’s “2010 Restaurants & Retail Report: Segmenting the Food & Beverage Consumer,” consumers typically visit supermarkets about once a week. In its survey of 2,000 consumers, Technomic also found

Restaurants are boosting their seafood appetizer and entrée sales with special football-related promotions.

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants recently debuted a new "Game Day" bar menu, with items starting at USD 2.25 each. Appetizers include cocktail shrimp, tempura shrimp, fried oysters and oysters on the half shell. Entrées include wings, burgers, Baja shrimp tacos, grilled fish tacos and sushi — a new item for McCormick &

As the founder of McKinleyville, Calif., sustainable seafood supplier Wild Planet Foods, Bill Carvalho knows a thing or two about the sustainable seafood business. With the influx of supermarket sustainability programs over the past year — including Whole Foods Market’s new wild seafood ratings system — SeafoodSource received an update from Carvalho on how retailers and sustainable seafood suppliers are working together.

Blank: It seems

U.S. supermarket sales of prepared seafood items realized steady growth in 2009 and 2010, led by new private-label creations. Sales of prepared seafood entrées and platters increased 1.8 percent to USD 620 million for the 52 weeks ending 31 July, compared to the same period last year, according to data The Perishables Group provided to SeafoodSource.

Because retail prices have been lower this year due to the economy, dollar sales of prepared