In the eighth annual edition of its Power of Seafood report, FMI – The Food Industry Association found that seafood sales grew by both value and volume at U.S. grocery stores in 2025, representing a slight turnaround after “a couple of lackluster years.”
Though the results are a welcome sight for grocers and seafood suppliers alike, FMI highlighted that a small but highly valuable group of shoppers is playing an outsized role in propping up sales figures, reflecting larger trends playing out across the nation’s K-shaped economy.
Last year, seafood sales at U.S. retail totaled USD 24.2 billion (EUR 21 billion), which marked an increase of 2.6 percent year over year. The spike in value came as sales by volume rose 0.7 percent.
“The past couple of years, the numbers for seafood have not been so positive, but they have been a little bit more positive this past year,” FMI Vice President of Research and Insights Steve Markenson said while presenting the report during the 2026 Seafood Expo North America, which took place 15 to 17 March in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Fresh and frozen seafood both saw declines in sales by volume, with the latter category falling 1.9 percent and the former category falling 0.6 percent last year. But, thanks to higher prices in both segments, they both secured increased sales by value year over year, with fresh seafood raking in USD 8.3 billion (EUR 7.2 billion), representing an increase of 1.4 percent, and frozen seafood bringing in USD 8.6 billion (EUR 7.5 billion), representing an increase of 1.7 percent.
By species, salmon sales rose 2.5 percent by volume and 4.8 percent by value, totaling more than USD 5.5 billion (EUR 4.8 billion). While tilapia and pollock also realized sales gains by both value and volume, trout saw the largest percentage gains year over year, rising 20.9 percent by volume and 21.7 percent by value, amounting to USD 267 million (EUR 232 million).
“Trout has done well because of ALDI,” FMI Vice President of Fresh Foods Rick Stein told SeafoodSource. “ALDI brought out trout at a great price, and now sales are through the roof.”
Bigger year-over-year gains on a category level came in shelf-stable and deli-prepared.
Shelf-stable sales grew 1 percent by volume and 2 percent by value in 2025, reaching USD 3.4 billion (EUR 3 billion). Within the category, sales of anchovies and sardines recorded impressive sales numbers, rising 10.1 percent by volume and 16.6 percent by value, totaling USD 386 million (EUR 335 million) in 2025. Since 2019, sales of the species have risen 46.4 percent by volume and 90.4 percent by value.
“Tinned is on fire. [Retailers] went away from just selling packed tuna in water to value-added products like tuna salad, adding flavor to it, and playing it up as a healthy snack,” Stein told SeafoodSource.
As for deli-prepared, sales of sushi have skyrocketed, with value totaling USD 3.9 billion (EUR 3.4 billion), representing an increase of 7.9 percent year over year; sales by volume rose 7.4 percent.
“Gen Z are definitely engaging with sushi due to a combination of things. The experience and the adventure that comes with sushi is a plus for that generation,” Markenson said.
Even though sushi does not necessarily move the needle for seafood suppliers on a sales volume level, with Stein adding that deli-prepared doesn’t even always count as seafood sales, he said that the mere fact that sushi is getting consumers to engage with seafood can be a win for the category.
“Sushi is considered healthy because it has seafood in it, so how do you take that sentiment and move it over to the seafood section?” Stein said.
The report found that just 10 percent of shoppers accounted for 40 percent of seafood purchases at retail last year, and while retailers would like to drive all shoppers toward the seafood aisle, Stein said that efforts retailers make this year may be largely focused on keeping those high-income shoppers coming back and buying seafood.
“Trying to convert somebody to do something they haven’t done is very expensive compared to [convincing] someone who already does something to do more,” Stein said. “It’s more critical than ever to hold on to the frequent, affluent seafood eater.”
“When seafood is in the basket, the [total purchase] is about two and a half times larger, so seafood shoppers are very valuable to make sure [retailers] are [bringing back],” Markenson added.
However, if done strategically, Stein said there may be opportunities to broaden seafood’s appeal as a whole while also bringing back high-income shoppers. This can be accomplished through such strategies as offering convenience, emphasizing health and sustainability, leveraging social media, and coupling expensive luxury items with affordable options that highlight the wide range available across the seafood aisle.
“Retailers are going to have to find new approaches, including building up their seafood reputation,” he said. “The Power of Seafood 2026 shows that seafood is a category where focused investment matters. Retailers who lean into assortment, expertise, and clear, health-forward messaging can strengthen loyalty among their most engaged seafood shoppers while continuing to broaden the category’s appeal.”
