Diversified, the producer of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, has revealed the conference program for the 2026 edition of the event.
The conference program, running from 15 to 17 March, will feature more than 40 sessions and more than 125 industry speakers from major companies and organizations like Whole Foods Market, Ahold Delhaize USA, NOAA Fisheries, Circana, and more. During the three-day event, the conference program will cover a range of topics including consumer insights and trends, traceability, sustainability, and business strategies.
The conference program will also feature a keynote by leading macro-economist and best-selling author Nomi Prins. Prins’ keynote, “Fork in the Current: The Economic and Trade Realities Shaping Seafood in 2026,” will address how macro-forces in the global economy such as U.S.-China trade tensions, E.U. regulatory shifts, AI integration, and more could impact the cost structures, sourcing strategies, and regional demand.
“I want to unpack how a viral headline actually connects to so many different parts of the supply chain, whether it's from frozen to fresh to marketing to repositioning seafood types of strategies to meet that demand and also be involved in growing that demand,” Prins said. “I think that this year, there are so many positives evolving on the bigger picture, and that’s really what I want to bring to everyone that’s invested in the North American marketplace – this ability to see through the noise and continue on with the trends that are really important to 2026 and to all the parts of the seafood supply chain.”
Other sessions include "Aquaculture in U.S. Federal Waters — Opportunities & Challenges,” featuring Danielle Blacklock, the director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Aquaculture, alongside operators from Newport Mussels, Manna Fish Farms, and the Environmental Defense Fund, to examine offshore aquaculture development in U.S. federal waters.
The Food Industry Association will present a session covering the results of its annual report surveying consumers on their shopping and eating habits around seafood.
“The session will give insight into consumer behaviors and how the industry can respond with perspectives from FMI leadership alongside representatives from Hy-Vee and H-E-B,” Diversified said.
Another session, titled "Transforming Traceability from Compliance Burden to Competitive Advantage," will feature executives from Trace Register, Raw Seafoods Inc., New York Customs Brokers, and Ahold Delhaize USA discussing how companies are turning regulatory requirements into strategic business assets.
“The panel will share practical strategies for leveraging data, achieving operational efficiency, and gaining first-mover advantages through technology readiness,” Diversified said.
Whole Foods Market Senior Vice President of Merchandising for Perishables Wesley Rose, Whole Foods/Amazon Grocery Global Head of Sustainability Caitlin Leibert, Kvaroy Arctic CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen, and Thai Union Senior Director of Sustainability Blake Stok will present “The Future of Seafood, Building Trust in Every Bite” to discuss how third-party certification and standards build consumer trust.
The full agenda for the comprehensive conference program is available online now.
