Convenience. Health and wellbeing. Transparency. They’re all huge trends in themselves. Put them together, and you have a force to be reckoned with — and a vision for the grocery fresh perimeter that’s very bright indeed.
The New York-based Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel has predicted that alternative seafood products will be among the top trends in specialty food in 2023.
Inflation continues to hamper overall grocery and fresh seafood sales, but the holiday season offers an opportunity for shoppers to splurge on items like crab, lobster, and shrimp.
Funding from the round will go toward Forsea’s development of cultured seafood alternatives and its first product, an eel meat replacement for use in dishes like kabayaki and sushi.
In 2021, Bensenville, Ill.-based Fortune Fish & Gourmet found itself in a dilemma. Because of limited crab supplies due to a new Alaskan catch quota, Fortune found itself hustling to find product to fill orders and keep prices at levels the market could bear.
As seen since this spring, high prices on fresh seafood continue to dampen sales. Inflation on overall fresh seafood rose 10.9% on average per unit in June, according to IRI and 210 Analytics.
The record inflation in fresh seafood and across the grocery store this year has led to some innovation promotions and “value” merchandising in the fresh seafood department.
