Fish and Seafood - US

Fish and Seafood - US

The US market for fish and seafood is constantly volatile, dependant on everything from fish-catching rates to the cost of transportation. Despite these challenges, the frozen fish and seafood segment has successfully capitalized on consumer trends by marketing more upscale products and focusing on convenience. Marketers of shelf-stable products, too, have redefined themselves through product development and innovation, luring in more customers as a result.

This report offers analysis and ideas for new product development and marketing messaging alike that will draw consumers to fish and seafood products. Topics explored in this report include:

• Consumers’ simultaneous desires to eat more fish/seafood for health reasons and avoid it because of food safety reasons
  
  
• How demographic factors like age and race/ethnicity affect consumption of fish and seafood
  
  
• How price and restaurant competition influences purchase behavior
  
  
• What trends drive new product innovation, packaging and advertising
  
  
• Why Mintel feels that the market is poised for growth through 2012

This report builds on the analysis in Mintel’s Fish and Seafood—US, October 2006. For the purposes of this report, fish and seafood sold in retail outlets only are covered, as per the following definitions:

• Fresh, uncooked fish and seafood, such as salmon steaks and live lobster
  
  
• Frozen, uncooked fish and seafood, such as frozen unprocessed shrimp and cod fillets
  
  
• Refrigerated or chilled seafood, such as lobster and crabmeat
  
  
• Shelf stable fish and seafood, such as tuna, crab and sardines
  
  
• Frozen prepared seafood, such as fish sticks and heat-and-eat fish fillets

This report contains US IRI InfoScan data.  
 

SCOPE AND THEMES

What you need to know

Definition

Resources used for The Consumer sections

Abbreviations and terms

Abbreviations

Terms

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The bottom line

Black consumers eat more fish/seafood; Asians cutting back

Product innovation flourishes

Demographic factors favor growth, but safety must be addressed

MARKET DRIVERS

Emphasis on healthier eating supports market growth

Figure 1: Attitudes regarding healthy eating, 2002-06

Fish/seafood consumption increases with age

Figure 2: Household consumption of fish and seafood, by age, October 2007

Figure 3: U.S. population projections, by age, 2002 and 2007

Safety concerns cause some consumers to cut back

Competition from fish oil supplements

Economic concerns affect the market

Ethical, green concerns, positioning on the rise

Figure 4: Number of new fish and seafood products using ethical positioning claims, 2006 and 2007

Seafood rarely prepared at home, say nearly half of Mintel’s respondents

Claims of convenience appear to be lost on consumers

MARKET SIZE AND TRENDS

MARKET SIZE

Figure 5: Total U.S. sales of fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2002-07

MARKET TRENDS

Product innovation flourishes

Figure 6: Fish and seafood new product introductions, 2002-07

Top product positioning claims

Figure 7: Top positioning claims for new fish and seafood, 2006 and 2007

Convenience

Premium

Bolder, more sophisticated flavors

Trans-fat-free a top claim

MARKET SEGMENTATION

Overview

Figure 8: U.S. sales of fish and seafood, by type, 2005 and 2007

Fresh fish and seafood

Figure 9: Sales of fresh fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2002-07

Frozen fish and seafood

Figure 10: Sales of frozen fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2002-07

Shelf-stable fish and seafood

Figure 11: Sales of shelf-stable fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2002-07

SUPPLY STRUCTURE

Introduction

Companies and brands

Figure 12: FDM sales of frozen and shelf-stable fish and seafood, by manufacturer and brand, 2005 and 2007

Frozen fish and seafood

Figure 13: FDM sales of frozen fish and seafood, by manufacturer and brand, 2005 and 2007*

Gorton’s

Pinnacle Foods

Rich-SeaPak

Chicken of the Sea

Shelf-stable fish and seafood

Figure 14: FDM sales of shelf-stable fish and seafood, by manufacturer and brand, 2005 and 2007*

Bumble Bee Foods

Del Monte Foods

Chicken of the Sea

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION

U.S. Tuna Foundation

StarKist

Chicken of the Sea

Bumble Bee

SeaPak

Advertisers position seafood as a treat

Figure 15: Contessa Frozen Shrimp television ad, 2007

Figure 16: Gorton’s Shrimp Temptations television ad, 2007

Convenient is a common theme

Figure 17: Gorton’s Potato Crunch television ad, 2007

Figure 18: Mrs. Paul’s Frozen Fish Sticks television ad, 2007

RETAIL DISTRIBUTION

Introduction

Figure 19: Retail sales of fish and seafood, by channel, 2005 and 2007

Mass merchandisers and other channels

Figure 20: U.S. mass merchandiser and other channel sales of fish and seafood, at current and constant prices,

2002-07

Supermarkets

Figure 21: U.S. supermarket sales of fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2002-07

THE CONSUMER: HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION OF FISH AND SEAFOOD

Summary

Household consumption of fresh and frozen fish/seafood

Figure 22: Trends in household consumption of fresh and frozen fish/seafood, 2003-07

Figure 23: Household consumption of fresh or frozen fish/seafood, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007

Figure 24: Household consumption of fresh or frozen fish/seafood, by household income, May 2006-June 2007

Household consumption of frozen prepared fish/seafood

Figure 25: Household consumption of frozen prepared fish/seafood, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007

Types eaten

Figure 26: Trends in types of frozen prepared fish/seafood consumed, 2003-07

Figure 27: Types of frozen prepared fish/seafood consumed, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007

Brands eaten

Figure 28: Brands of frozen prepared fish/seafood eaten, May 2006-June 2007

Figure 29: Brands of frozen prepared fish/seafood eaten, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007

Household consumption of can/pouch tuna

Figure 30: Household consumption of can/pouch tuna, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007

Types eaten

Figure 31: Trends in household consumption of can/pouch tuna, by type, 2003-07

Brands eaten

Figure 32: Trends in brands of can/pouch tuna eaten, 2003-07

Volume eaten in last 30 days

Figure 33: Number of cans/pouches of tuna eaten by household in last 30 days, May 2006-June 2007

Types of fish consumed

Figure 34: Types of fish consumed, by type, October 2007

Gender

Age

Household income

Race/ethnicity

Types of seafood consumed

Figure 35: Types of seafood consumed, by type, October 2007

Gender

Age

Household income

Race/ethnicity

Region

TEENS’ AND KIDS’ CONSUMPTION OF FISH AND SEAFOOD

Teens’ consumption of canned tuna

Figure 36: Trends in teens’ consumption of canned tuna, by gender and race/ethnicity, 2003-07

Gender

Race/ethnicity

Number of times canned tuna is eaten

Figure 37: Number of times canned tuna is eaten by teens in a month, May 2006-June 2007

Teens’ influence on brands bought

Figure 38: Teens’ influence on brands of canned tuna bought, May 2006-June 2007

Kids’ consumption of frozen fish sticks

Figure 39: Trends in children’s consumption of frozen fish sticks, by race/ethnicity, 2003-07

THE CONSUMER: CONSUMPTION BEHAVIORS

Summary

How often fish and seafood are eaten

Figure 40: How often fish and seafood are eaten, October 2007

How often fish is eaten

Figure 41: How often fish is eaten, by household income, October 2007

How often seafood is eaten

Figure 42: How often seafood is eaten, by household income, October 2007

Sources of ideas on seafood preparation

Figure 43: Sources of preparation ideas for seafood, October 2007

Figure 44: Sources of preparation ideas for seafood, by gender, October 2007

Figure 45: Sources of preparation ideas for seafood, by age, October 2007

Figure 46: Sources of preparation ideas for seafood, by household income, October 2007

Figure 47: Sources of preparation ideas for seafood, by race/ethnicity, October 2007

Attitudes and behaviors in regards to purchase and consumption of fish and seafood

Figure 48: Attitudes/behaviors in regards to purchase and consumption of fish and seafood, mean summary,

October 2007

Cost is a barrier

Capitalize on cooking confidence

Address competition from restaurants

Figure 49: Attitudes/behaviors in regards to purchase and consumption of fish and seafood, summary of

somewhat/strongly agree, by age, October 2007

Figure 50: Attitudes/behaviors in regards to purchase and consumption of fish and seafood, summary of

somewhat/strongly agree, by race/ethnicity, October 2007

FUTURE AND FORECAST

Demographic factors favor growth

Figure 51: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2007 and 2012

Figure 52: Population by age, 2007 and 2012

Product development is key

Safety issues must be addressed

MARKET FORECAST

Fish and seafood

Figure 53: Forecast of total U.S. sales of fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2007-12

Fresh fish and seafood

Figure 54: Forecast of U.S. sales of fresh fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2007-12

Frozen fish and seafood

Figure 55: Forecast of U.S. sales of frozen fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2007-12

Shelf-stable fish and seafood

Figure 56: Forecast of U.S. sales of shelf-stable fish and seafood, at current and constant prices, 2007-12

Forecast factors

APPENDIX: TRADE ASSOCIATIONS