Alaska seafood marketing experts are gearing up for China’s Fisheries and Seafood Expo in November, a proven sales hot spot.
Representatives from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute say they have seen interest in black cod and salmon, in particular, at the Conxemar Trade Show, held this year Oct. 3-5 in Vigo, Spain. At the China expo, set for Nov. 1-3 in Qingdao, the emphasis will be on smoked sockeye, king crab legs and ikura, the Japanese-style salmon roe, said K.C. Dochtermann, ASMI’s international program director.
ASMI also plunged into potential Russian markets Sept. 26-29, to promote salmon — particularly salmon roe products — at the World Food Moscow Trade Show. “It’s a food show, in general, not seafood, but very preeminent, and a lot of people attend,” said Maggie Beaton, a senior marketing specialist with ASMI.
Wherever ASMI participates in international trade shows, the state agency provides directories of Alaska seafood processors and other promotional materials in the language of the country where the event is taking place, plus seafood product samplings. For the Vigo show, ASMI will provide directories and other materials also in Italian, Portuguese and Greek.
ASMI has participated in Conxemar, the largest frozen seafood show in southern Europe, since 1999, Dochtermann said.
“Seafood consumption in Spain is second only to Japan,” he said. “We are selling mostly frozen seafood there — salmon, a lot of cod and some surimi. It seems to be more of a whitefish market, especially for salted cod production. Alaska (fish) is being used more for cod since Atlantic stocks are disappearing.”
With sushi bars in vogue now, particularly in Madrid, there is significant interest in black cod and salmon, Beaton said. “The black cod has a very distinctive flavor, and the Japanese tend to favor marinating it in a miso paste or sake.
“It’s a little expensive in the southern European market, but is taking off in France,” she said. Interest in using black cod rose after ASMI conducted a recent chefs’ seminar in France, she said.
Best-sellers at the Conxemar are Pacific cod, generally used for dried salted cod, known in Spain as baccalau, Beaton said.
“We are seeing more value-added, dry-salted product in the market, ready to prepare into meals,” she said.
At the China expo, in which ASMI has participated for a decade, the state agency has expanded into four booths this year to make more room for salespeople, and to serve up seafood samples and Alaskan Amber beer provided by the Alaska Brewing Co.
“It goes great with the seafood,” Beaton said. The Alaska Brewing Co. donates the beer and ASMI pays for the shipping.
ASMI also plans a reception at Qingdao for the local trade.
“China is still a tough market,” Beaton said. “But what we have seen is less reprocessors and one interested in purchasing and redistribution in China. We are happy to see that. In 1999, almost everybody was a reprocessor.
“Now we are having people looking for salmon, king crab, snow crab for local distribution. China is slowly growing. There is massive potential and we are slowly growing with it.
“I think we have more industry support than we used to, and that’s a good sign for all of us,” she said.
Margaret Bauman is a reporter at the Alaska Journal of Commerce.
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