The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) has been placing an enhanced focus on the U.S. market as the country seeks to continue expanding its seafood export value.
During an informational seminar hosted by the NSC, officials with the organization emphasized its work in the U.S. is a key part of its plans for expanding Norway’s seafood exports. According to NSC CEO Christian Chramer, the council has never focused more on the U.S. than it has now.
“We have been steadily increasing our budgets over the last two years, and the last three years have seen record highs both in investments and activities for Norwegian seafood in the U.S.,” Chramer said.
Norway had a banner year for its seafood export value in 2023, posting a NOK 20.7 billion (USD 1.9 billion, EUR 1.8 billion) increase in year-over-year trade value to reach NOK 172 billion (USD 15.8 billion, EUR 14.8 billion). That value total places seafood exports as the country’s second-largest export category behind oil and gas.
However, a weaker kroner was largely to blame for the value increases, and the country’s three-year streak of year-over-year export value growth ended in Q1 2024 as the currency effect began to decline.
Historically, European countries have been the main destination for much of Norway’s salmon, which makes up the lion’s share of the country’s exports. The NSC’s most recent statistics published on salmon exports highlight what is sometimes a huge gulf between salmon exports to Europe and the U.S. – the country exported 1,880 metric tons (MT) of salmon to Denmark alone in week 14 of 2024, while it only exported 35 MT to the U.S.
Overall, however, salmon exports to the U.S. have been increasing and reached 71,113 MT in 2023 – up from 66,432 MT in 2022, according to NSC statistics. For reference, Norway sent 114,374 MT to Denmark in 2023, up from 111,479 in 2022. The difference between the U.S. and Poland is even greater – Norway sent 189,235 MT of salmon to the Eastern European country in 2023.
Even with the gulf between salmon exports to Europe and the U.S., the U.S. is still one of the 10 largest markets for Norwegian seafood by value. In 2023, the U.S. represented a NOK 13.7 billion (USD 1.26 billion, EUR 1.18 billion) market for the country’s seafood – a sum that was 18 percent higher year over year – and salmon is still an important part of that.
“Things are going really well for Norwegian Seafood in the U.S.; there’s been a steady growth,” NSC U.S. Director Anne-Kristine Øen said. “The total export in 2023 to the U.S. came to 116,000 MT.”
The growth, which was an increase of NOK 2.1 billion (USD 194 million, EUR 180 million) over 2022, made it the second-greatest value growth of any country in terms of export value, and Chramer said it is one of the strongest in terms of potential growth.
He also attributed that growth to the strong efforts of companies that make products appealing to U.S. consumers.
“Making the U.S. a strong seafood market for Norway is done through an enormous effort,” he said.
Øen added the NSC is keeping tabs on trends in other aspects of everyday life to ensure that the organization’s advertising efforts hit the right places.
“For the first time in the U.S. in 2023, time spent on mobile devices was greater than daily minutes on PCs, laptops, and tablets,” she said. “It’s important for us because we take our phones everywhere – and we can reach people everywhere.”
To boost Norwegian seafood sales in restaurants and retailers, the NSC has also been working on educating restaurant staff through seminars.
“We educate people; we do courses and seminars for the people who work at fish counters and for the people who work at the restaurants,” Øen said. “There’s a lot of interest in that because everybody likes to know what they’re talking about, and everybody feels empowered when they know what they’re selling.”
Norwegian seafood can also stand out thanks to its origin, giving restaurants something to highlight on their menus, Øen said.
“Norwegian quality and provenance can be one of those unique menu items,” she said.
Additionally, Chramer attributed part of Norway’s growth in the U.S. to shifting consumer demand, citing a McKinsey report called “Hungry and Confused,” which found consumers are seeking solutions in retail stores to avoid certain foods and eat healthier. Norwegian seafood can capitalize on the consumer trend by highlighting the health aspects of seafood in general.
“Seafood is a solution to all of that,” Chramer said. “I believe that we are here to build the market not only for Norway but for seafood in general.”
