Seafood stakeholders have initiated plans to increase awareness of Norwegian-caught snow crab in key European export markets, aiming to emulate the branding success farmed salmon has experienced in the country over the last four decades.
Snow crab is technically an invasive species off the coast of Norway, first turning up due to natural migration patterns in the 1990s. The stock, which is largely fished in the Barents Sea, was then opened to a commercial quota in 2013.
Though the larger king crab is more heavily associated with Norway, fisheries biologist Monica Langeland explained the smaller snow crab might actually be the superior species for consumption.
"The meat is sweeter, and it's better and easier to eat. You can break off the legs without using a lot of different tools," she told SeafoodSource, adding that its relatively unknown status as an export product from Norway has also resulted in lower prices. "I think it's been sold too cheap, but I think one of the issues is that most people in Norway and the rest of Europe don't know about the snow crab. They don't know how good it is. I think it's better than the king crab, and it's about half the price."
These factors, along with the fact that Norway recently announced that 2027 quotas for the species have risen 35 percent to over 16,500 tons, have led Langeland and others to call for the sector to begin raising awareness of snow crab and create a market for the product in Europe, largely due to the fact that Norwegian supply would be a shorter route to market and provide more stability compared to other suppliers such as Canada and the U.S.
Nevertheless, Langeland explained it would take time to gain a foothold in Europe.
"It's very easy to sell the snow crab to Asia and the U.S. because they know the product, and they buy a lot of it so you can sell hundreds of tons in one go," she said. "If you try for Europe, you have to send small packages and it takes a lot longer.”
Through targeted marketing campaigns, Langeland said she hopes the industry can emulate other Norwegian branding success stories. For example, more than 40 years ago, a Norwegian delegation traveled to Japan to convince sushi chefs that the Scandinavian country’s high-quality raw salmon could complement their national dish in an effort called “Project Japan.” According to Norwegian Seafood Council estimates, around 30 percent of Norwegian salmon now ends up as sushi and/or is consumed raw.
Targeting a similar strategy, Langeland said she is trying to organize a Norwegian snow crab booth at Seafood Expo Global 2027, and so far, she said 10 industry members have signed on to a broader marketing project for the species.
