With Thanksgiving on Thursday, seafood — and all other proteins, for that matter — are taking a backseat to turkey.
But that's not preventing a few U.S. supermarket chains from promoting fish this week. Shrimp rings and platters, oysters and king crab are among the seafood items they're advertising leading up to the holiday.
Since oysters are a part of many families' stuffing recipes, retailers are going all-out to promote them.
"We have oysters, scalloped oysters and Oysters Rockefeller [prepared in-house] in packages of servings for two," said Jack Gridley, director of meat and seafood for Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton, Ohio, which has three stores.
Meanwhile, Pathmark, which is owned by the Delhaize Group of Brussels, Belgium, has oysters, shrimp rings and platters, seafood appetizers and crabmeat on special for Thanksgiving, said Joe D'Alessandro, the retailer's senior director of seafood merchandising.
The 141-store chain is retailing fresh shucked oysters for USD 4.99 per 8-ounce package, lump crabmeat for USD 9.99 a pound, America's Choice shrimp ring for USD 7.99 a pound, and medium lobster tails for USD 3.99 each.
Because Alaska king crab legs are in season, some retailers are focusing on promoting them for family gatherings and holiday parties into December.
"We will have fresh Alaska king crab legs through Thanksgiving," said Gridley. "We will sell 300 pounds, at USD 24.99 a pound."
Safeway, which has 1,775 stores in the Unites States and Canada under several banners, is also promoting large red king crab legs for USD 8.99 a pound. The Pleasanton, Calif., retailer also has 8- to 12-count colossal sea scallops on special for USD 9.99 a pound.
Specials on shrimp platters and trays are also common this week. Safeway's 32-ounce Waterfront Bistro shrimp rings are selling for USD 12.99 each.
Meanwhile, Dorothy Lane Market's Gulf of Mexico 36- to 40-count brown shrimp is retailing for USD 9.99 a pound.
"We will have easy-peel raw shrimp and two different sizes of cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, including two-pound bags," said Gridley.
Back to all Foodservice & Retail stories >
