Market and Trade Update at GAPP’s Annual Meeting

On Thursday, September 28^th, I had the opportunity and distinct pleasure to present to the more than 250 attendees of GAPP’s Annual Meeting at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle. I was honored to see the industry come together in such a strong way, and grateful for the incredible support of our 41 sponsors, without which, we could have never had such a successful meeting.

My presentation updated the attendees on the performance of the 2023 fishing season and the recent trends in markets and international trade of Wild Alaska Pollock products. Once again this year, GAPP member companies performed admirably with almost all of the quota harvested in the Bering Sea and good progress in the completion of the Gulf of Alaska fishery that will continue until October 31^st.

I enjoy the opportunity to expand on GAPP’s Weekly Fishery Performance Update and its Monthly U.S. and EU/UK Trade reports (If you don’t receive these, please email me), since GAPP deliberately provides no opinion-based commentary on the data contained in those reports. Our Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting is my chance to talk about the implications of the data and provide commentary on the significance of these trends.  The highlights of this year’s trade reports included the projection that the recent trend in more Wild Alaska Pollock fillet products staying in the U.S. market is going to continue, that Wild Alaska Pollock surimi is gaining market share in the European market despite higher prices, and the impacts of changes in the balance of Russian headed and gutted, fillet and surimi production will have on international markets.

Later in the day, I also had the pleasure of leading a Partnership Program panel consisting of current partners Tracey Schram of Fujisan Sushi, Jake Holbrook of Gorton’s, Mike Tigani of King and Prince, and Lou Shaheen and Oggie Dodge of Trans-Ocean Products. Our panelists did an amazing job of talking about how they leverage GAPP Partnership dollars to communicate the amazing attributes of our “perfect protein,” and how they are targeting millennials in their effort to get more people to eat more Wild Alaska Pollock at a younger age.

I was also able to announce our next round of Partnership Program participants to the audience.  Returning for another year are past North American participants Gorton’s, who will promote two Wild Alaska Pollock products at Sam’s Club stores in the fall of 2004, Highliner Foods who will promote four Wild Alaska Pollock SKUs in University Foodservice, King and Prince Seafood who will seek to build demand for their Craft Beer-Battered Wild Alaska Pollock Fillet in a new channel – pub and taverns, Trident Seafoods/Oak View Group, who will seek to build upon the success of the launch of Wild Alaska Pollock products at Climate Pledge Arena in sports and entertainment venues across North America, and Trans-Ocean Products who will educate consumers on the real seafood content of their Crab Classic® line of products made from Wild Alaska Pollock. We also welcome back Spain’s Angulas Aguinaga, who will educate Spanish consumers on the superiority of their Krissa® brand of Wild Alaska Pollock surimi seafood products.

We are also very excited to welcome first-time participants Texas-based retailer H-E-B who will promote their Wild Alaska Pollock Great Catch® line of surimi and fillet products, and the national restaurant chain Arby’s who will use GAPP dollars to boost sales of their Wild Alaska Pollock Crispy Fish Sandwich. We also welcome our two first ever Japanese Partners, Nissui who will leverage GAPP dollars to promote their Wild Alaska Pollock Spicy Roe product in Japanese Costco stores, and Trident Seafoods-Japan, who will also promote a product in Japanese Costco stores, but they will be promoting their Wild Alaska Pollock Kanikama products. Both companies will educate Japanese consumers on the superiority of using Wild Alaska Pollock versus other fish alternatives.

Finally, we are pleased to partner with the Colombian company Antillana, who will promote the line of Wild Alaska Pollock products they launched nationwide last fall in retail, foodservice and school lunch programs.

I always enjoy the industry coming together for this special meeting and am honored to be part of the GAPP team and to present at this important Wild Alaska Pollock event! Here’s to looking forward to next year!