Utrecht, Netherlands-based Global Shrimp Forum Foundation (GSFF) has published a study of U.S. consumer attitudes regarding shrimp, which offers shrimp sector stakeholders insights into how they can best position their products for the U.S. market.
The report, available as a free download from the organization’s website, was supported by the financial surplus accrued from the 2024 Global Shrimp Forum.
Report author Arnd Jan Gulmans, an independent brand and marketing consultant, said the “study provides fresh data on how Americans perceive shrimp, what influences their purchasing decisions, and what barriers may be limiting consumption."
"These insights will help the industry better position shrimp in the market and ensure that marketing efforts, including the Global Shrimp Council’s campaign, resonate with U.S. consumers," he said.
Along with offering a comprehensive view of the role shrimp plays in U.S. consumers’ diets and a comparative account of how other countries' consumers feel about the protein, the report offers a number of strategic implications targeted toward shrimp importers and retailers.
Insights included that “environmental concerns play a secondary role in shrimp consumption decisions,” so, according to the report, producers should focus on appealing to consumers through other avenues, such as their desire to cook for themselves, to make the everyday meal feel celebratory, and to make wholesome family meals quickly and conveniently.
The report argued that the full market potential of shrimp could be realized by retailers and producers by focusing on marketing to both those who were already frequent shrimp consumers while also targeting a wider audience, especially helping members of that consumer base understand that shrimp could be less costly than they might imagine.
The report said that this goal could be achieved through the pulling of several levers.
For instance, retailers should appeal to both average and frequent shrimp consumers through promotion.
But, it noted, promotion would look different for different audiences. Frequent shrimp eaters, for instance, should be inspired by new recipes, ideas, and occasions that could trigger them to buy.
Average shrimp consumers could be appealed to, by contrast, with the nutritional benefits of shrimp and through associations to happy memories of shrimp-based meals. All shrimp consumers should be appealed to through lower prices.
The goal, the report said, was to deepen consumers’ already existing love of shrimp and to make shrimp a regular choice for everyday meals. Since those who didn’t frequently consume shrimp already might associate it with luxury, retailers could market it as an opportunity to make the everyday feel special.
The report also suggested that marketing should target young consumers and those who want to cook for themselves over other groups.
GSFF Managing Director Willem van der Pijl said that the research initiative was important because the “U.S. remains one of the most important markets for shrimp, and it is vitally important that we understand consumer preferences as well as possible.”
"This report provides the industry with a much-needed understanding of what motivates U.S. shoppers when choosing shrimp over other proteins," he said. "By reinvesting the surplus from last year’s Global Shrimp Forum into this study, we are delivering on our commitment to creating valuable resources that benefit the entire shrimp sector. The insights gained will directly support the Global Shrimp Council’s mission to boost shrimp consumption in the U.S. through targeted marketing and promotion.”
The Global Shrimp Council (GSC), launched in 2023, is a global shrimp industry marketing organization which aims to promote shrimp to U.S. consumers.
The GSC will be launching its first marketing campaign at the 2025 Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., running from 16 to 18 March.
