Thousands of seafood buyers, importers, distributors, and processors are expected to arrive in Boston, Massachusetts this weekend for the kick-off of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America 2019, taking place from 17 to 19 March.
Considered to be the largest seafood industry event in North America, the expo features thousands of exhibitor booths stocked with products, solutions, and samples, as well as a wide array of live chef demonstrations, sponsored presentations, and other special events open to all attendees.
Topical presentations will begin on Sunday, 17 March, when keynote speaker Dr. Lindsey Piegza, the chief economist at Stifel Fixed Income, will offer an economic update to attendees covering the current pace of recovery in the United States and what it means for future growth, interest rates, and monetary policy. Piegza will also touch on macro-economic consumer behavior trends and the potential economic effects of new Federal Reserve policy initiatives.
A series of free sponsored presentations will take place on Monday (18 March) and Tuesday (19 March) in the morning. According to expo and conference organizer Diversified Communications, on Monday beginning at 9:15 a.m., attendees will be able to choose from two presentations: one on traceability standards, sponsored by the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability, and a second on utilizing ROVs for sustainable aquaculture, sponsored by Deep Trekker. The sponsored series will conclude on Tuesday with another sustainability-focused session, “Ocean Plastic Pollution: From the Garbage Patch to your Plate,” sponsored by Thai Union and running from 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Chef demonstrations will also be on order at the expo, with a lineup of renowned chefs scheduled to showcase their culinary skills on Sunday and Monday in the Demonstration Theater, located in the exhibit hall. The demonstrations include “The Great Scottish Seafood Cook-Off,” featuring Chef Mark Greenaway of Restaurant Mark Greenaway, sponsored by Seafood from Scotland; Galician Seafood, “Our Sea, A Brand,” featuring Chef Alvaro Villasante of Paprica Restaurant and sponsored by Conselleria do Mar – Xunta de Galicia; “Argentina’s Wild Seafood, Taste the Most Southern Ocean,” featuring Chef Christopher Walker, Instructor at Newbury College, sponsored by Argentina; and “Algae-fed Salmon Takes Center Plate: Chef Sammy Monsour’s Sustainable Seafood Journey,” presented by Chef Sammy Monsour of Preux & Proper and sponsored by Corbion.
The Seafood Excellence Awards will be presented on Sunday, 17 March, as 3:00 p.m. at the Demonstration Theater. Two companies will be honored for their best new seafood products for the North American market – one for Best New Retail Product and the other for Best New Foodservice Product. The 13th Annual Oyster Shucking Competition will be held the next day – on Monday, 18 March – wherein a dozen contestants will compete to earn the title of the fastest shucker of the East.
“The exposition’s special events allow attendees to mix education and entertainment into their three days of business here,” said Wynter Courmont, event director for Diversified Communications. “They’re great forums for learning something new, catching up with contacts, or brushing up on culinary and high-level seafood industry trends.”
New and featured products will be one display throughout the expo at the New Product Showcase and Featured Product Showcase, respectively. Both showcases are located in the exhibit hall, at Booths #3505 and #3510.
A full schedule of special events, demonstrations, and sponsored presentations – which are free to all badge holders – includes the following:
SUNDAY, 17 MARCH:
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Level 1, Room 153 A/B | Keynote Address: "Economic Update" | Presented by: Dr. Lindsey Piegza, Chief Economist, Stifel Fixed Income
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Demonstration Theater, Booth 3365 | Chef Demonstration: "The Great Scottish Seafood Cook-Off" | Presented by: Chef Mark Greenaway, Restaurant Mark Greenaway | Sponsored by: Seafood from Scotland
- 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Demonstration Theater, Booth 3365 | Chef Demonstration: Galician Seafood, “Our Sea, A Brand” | Presented by: Chef Alvaro Villasante, Paprica Restaurant | Sponsored by: Conselleria do Mar – Xunta de Galicia
- 3:00 p.m., Demonstration Theater, Booth 3365 | Seafood Excellence Awards Announcement & Reception
MONDAY, 18 MARCH:
- 9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Level 1, Room 153 A/B | Free Sponsored Presentation: "A Leap Forward for Traceability: How New Voluntary Standards Will Affect the Seafood Industry" | Sponsored by: Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability
- 9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Level 1, Room 151 B | Free Sponsored Presentation: "Aquaculture Sustainability: Utilizing ROVs to Ensure Best Practices" | Sponsored by: Deep Trekker
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Demonstration Theater, Booth 3365 | Chef Demonstration: "Argentina’s Wild Seafood, Taste the Most Southern Ocean" | Presented by: Chef Patrick McMurray, Owner/Lead Shucker, The Ceili Cottage
- 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Demonstration Theater, Booth 3365 | "Chef Demonstration: Algae-fed Salmon Takes Center Plate: Chef Sammy Monsour’s Sustainable Seafood Journey" | Presented by: Chef Sammy Monsour, Preux & Proper | Sponsored by: Corbion
- 2:30 p.m., Demonstration Theater, Booth 3365 | 13th Annual Oyster Shucking Competition
TUESDAY, 19 MARCH:
- 8:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Level 1, Room 153 A/B | Free Sponsored Presentation: "Ocean Plastic Pollution: From the Garbage Patch to Your Dinner Plate" | Sponsored by: Thai Union
