Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, for the first time in its history, will exceed 200,000 net square feet of exhibition space, thanks to growing participation from international exhibiting companies.
Formerly the International Boston Seafood Show/Seafood Processing America, the expo takes place 15-17 March at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
“Reports state 91 percent of seafood in the United States is imported from other countries, showing promise to international companies looking to expand their foothold. Regionally, there is notable influx in new participation from Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Morocco and Spain,” said Liz Plizga, Group VP for Diversified Communications in Portland, Maine, USA, producer of the event. “The increase in participation signifies the importance of Seafood Expo North America for companies, worldwide, looking to penetrate this market.”
More than 20,000 seafood professionals participated in the exposition in 2014. The thriving event serves as an avenue for buyers sourcing seafood products and related services. The exhibition is also complemented by an educational conference program, master classes, culinary demonstrations, an oyster shucking competition and the prestigious Seafood Excellence competition.
“While the expo is designed as a platform for buyers and suppliers to network and do business in just three days, the special onsite activities provide them with an opportunity to enhance their experience at the event,” said Wynter Courmont, event manager. “It is truly exciting to see this event continue to prosper.”
In 2014, 84 percent of the visitors surveyed indicated the intent to purchase as a direct result of the exposition. The visitors’ survey also revealed that the top three objectives for attending were to meet with existing suppliers, find new suppliers and compare products.
Visitors attend the expo to find a variety of seafood products and services to satisfy their customers’ needs, including fresh, frozen, value-added, processed and packaged seafood, as well as processing and packaging equipment, logistics and other service providers. Previous attendees include buyers from the largest retail and foodservice establishments, including BJ’s Restaurant, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s, P.F. Chang’s, Ruby Tuesday, Costco, Delhaize America, Safeway Inc., Tesco, Walmart and Whole Foods Market.
