4 Tips to Keep Your Seafood Sales Soaring
While some people may remain dubious, there have been several proverbial “silver linings” to sheltering in place these many months:
· Families are spending more time together.
· Workers have been relieved of long commutes.
· Drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback.
· Seafood retail sales are soaring.
Before the Great Pandemic Shutdown, about 75% of total seafood consumed in the United States was in restaurants, most of which are just beginning to reopen with limited capacity-only seating. Yet seafood sales hit $16.6 billion in 2020, representing a year-over-year increase of 28.4% and outpacing other fresh food departments, according to new data from the Food Industry Association (FMI).
Accounting for this impressive increase were shoppers who, locked out of their favorite restaurant fare, were seeking healthy alternatives to fix at home with minimal effort. Seafood was a logical choice. Equally significant, the data shows that many of these buyers had never or rarely cooked seafood at home before and were most likely to look to their store’s seafood counters, websites and apps for help.
This reliance creates a tremendous opportunity for seafood retailers to continue to keep these generally affluent shoppers with overall above-average grocery purchasing habits hooked on seafood.
“The FMI analysis suggests an urgency for food retailers to expand their seafood programs to help sustain consumer awareness of this protein that has emerged in popularity as a result of the pandemic,” Rick Stein, vice president of fresh foods for FMI, told Eat This, Not That!
Focus on 4
Below are four suggestions for keeping the seafood buying momentum going online and in your store:
Nutrition. This is a significant reason enthusiasm for seafood has soared. Fish, such as branzino, is high in protein, omega-3, and unsaturated (good) fat; low in calories and trans (bad) fat; and rich in a broad array of vitamins. When it comes to healthy eating, seafood is nearly impossible to beat.
Sustainable. Increasingly, today’s consumers care about sustainability, including that the food they eat is raised humanely without harm to the environment and that workers are treated fairly. So do their children—the next generation of seafood shoppers. Promoting the sustainable methods practiced by your seafood supplier can help assure you a sustainable clientele.
Cooking guidance. Some would-be seafood chefs need a little help getting started, and the best way to assist them is to remind them how easy it is to prepare and cook fish. Show how simple grilling shrimp and calamari or roasting branzino can be. Of course, don’t neglect your more seasoned seafood preparers. One way to do this is to provide recommended cooking methods marked “Easy” and “More Advanced” online and above selections in your in-store seafood showcase.
Recipes. Provide delicious recipes to suit varied tastes, ethnicities, and cooking skill levels. Don’t forget to include full ingredient lists to ensure they’ll have everything they need to produce the tasty dish. If possible, offer discounts on lower-cost ingredients or easy side dishes that will complement the fare without additional work to reinforce how fast and affordable delicious seafood meals can be.
Bottomline, leverage this national seafood trend by educating your target audiences, demystifying preparation and providing options that reflect today’s endless choices of delicious recipes. Follow these suggestions and you will keep your seafood customer base growing and your sales sailing.