Joseph Sabbagh is the president of Calabasas, California, U.S.A.-based Sax Maritime Associates, which has been offering consulting services to those invested or considering investing in the seafood industry since 1985.
Here is my 19-word answer to the main barrier hindering shrimp demand: Too many consumers throughout the world mistakenly believe that farmed shrimp is not good for them or the planet.
At the recently held Global Shrimp Forum in the Netherlands, CenSea Co-President Nate Torch succinctly packaged the industry’s concern about this issue.
“We've actually had two years of some of the lowest prices we've ever seen, and they consistently stay low. But, why isn't there consumption at the low prices? Are we finding out maybe it's not price that drives consumption of shrimp?” he said. “We need to find a way to increase shrimp consumption in the world because the ability to do it, the technology, and the commitment around the world are there to sell more of the best protein there is.”
“The Future Is In High Demand,” a report published in November 2023 by the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation, outlined a marketing strategy designed to improve consumption figures. But, the report is focused on finding answers every shrimp professional already knows, like which consumer groups are the best targets for focused campaigns or identifying when, where, and how Americans buy shrimp.
In order to see real results, the industry must push further and harder to change the average U.S. consumer’s perception of farmed shrimp. That effort needs to be centered on controlling the narrative in regard to sustainability.
First, the industry needs to be proactive in working to consolidate sustainability platforms. More than 120 different environmental non-governmental organizations operate their own sustainable seafood programs, according to some estimates, resulting in confused consumers.
Second, we need to put a human face on the industry, highlighting farming families and production workers throughout the supply chain, as outlined by Gabriel Luna in his recent SeafoodSource op-ed.
Third, we need to take the labor abuse narrative away from the environmental non-governmental organizations. The industry must hypercharge its prioritization of this issue from a “matter of dialogue and collaboration” to one of public exposure and severe punishment of offenders, regardless of their prominence.
Fourth, the industry must chip away at the negative environmental narrative around farmed shrimp by supporting or creating initiatives centered around consumer concerns – starting in shrimp-producing countries and expanding the initiative over time. There is no better place to start than the elimination of plastics in waterways where shrimp are farmed.
Some of the largest food companies in the world are involved in the shrimp-farming sector. Yet, it still has major concerns with labor abuse, and too many farmers throughout the world are under great financial stress.
To the credit of the leaders behind the Global Shrimp Council, these issues appear to be priorities in their recently announced marketing push, along with ensuring shrimp quality and purity. To make sure this effort succeeds, I suggest a five- to seven-year PR effort with a budget of USD 100 million (EUR 90 million) to jumpstart improvements.
Change will take time and money, but the industry’s major players have the funds to support a project like this. Based on the poor results of previous marketing efforts, I can understand the reluctance of the industry to commit to such a large campaign. Continuing with the same marketing-to-ourselves approach, however, will not move the needle on boosting demand – which is absolutely the most important factor in ensuring the industry’s long-term sustainability.
