Gloucester, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based Gorton’s sees itself as well-positioned to take advantage of shifting consumption trends in the U.S. caused by inflation.
Gorton’s Vice President of Marketing Chris Hussey told SeafoodSource the growth was driven by strength in the seafood company’s core business of breaded and battered Alaskan pollock fillets and sticks.
Consumers have also responded positively to Gorton’s “Fresh Taste” messaging and the care the company puts into its products and packaging, Hussey said.
“The higher-quality raw material used in our resealable bag line has helped to keep many of the new households in the category,” Hussey noted.
Hussey said U.S. shoppers looking for a value are gravitating towards shrimp, a species Gorton’s is focusing on more.
"While it’s a smaller share of our overall business, shrimp is also our fastest-growing business from a percentage standpoint,” Hussey said. "After a 2020 repositioning, we continue to see gains in not only distribution, but also turn velocity, as consumers increasingly turn to Gorton’s to cover all of their prepared seafood needs,” he said.
In October, Gorton’s is rolling out Southern Style Butterfly Shrimp with limited distribution, with a plan to expand retail distribution more broadly by early 2023.
The shrimp features a crunchy coating with “a tasty mix of buttermilk, pepper, and other Southern-inspired herbs and spices to provide consumers with a great-tasting, more-indulgent experience,” Hussey said. ”Not to mention, the extra crunch sets it apart from the rest of our shrimp portfolio,” he said.
For the remainder of the year, Gorton’s’ outlook is positive, Hussey said.
“We’ve seen consumers react positively to the great taste, versatility, and meal-time variety that seafood provides,” Hussey said. "Seafood stacks up well versus other protein options and‘checks the box on what consumers are looking for today.”
Gorton’s has highlighted seafood’s benefits in “It’s Seafood Time” consumer outreach initiative, which has “helped maintain year-over-year category and brand growth as we remain committed to driving the category within the broader easy-prep meal space,” Hussey said.
Because consumers are still very concerned about inflation, Gorton’s will “remain focused on delivering the best possible value through our product and channel strategies,” Hussey said.
Photo courtesy of Gorton’s
