As consumers increasingly prioritize better-for-you meals, foods that are not only nutritious but also produced in environmentally friendly ways will reign supreme. As such, while seafood is already a popular protein—45% of consumers eat seafood at least once a week, according to Technomic’s 2023 Poultry and Seafood Consumer Trend Report—it is expected to continue to grow in popularity, with 37% of consumers saying they anticipate they’ll eat seafood more over the next year.
For restaurants, the opportunity is big—with consumers seeking seafood more frequently, operators stand to profit, especially if they’re menuing the seafood options diners love most and highlighting specific attributes about the seafood on the menu, such as traceability or sustainability traits.
What’s on the menu?
When considering what types of seafood dishes to put on the menu, operators need to be mindful of consumer preferences. When it comes to fish dishes, consumers’ top picks are salmon, cod, tilapia, catfish and tuna, while when choosing shellfish, consumers prefer shrimp, lobster, crab/crabcakes, scallops and clams, according to Technomic’s Poultry and Seafood report. By simply drawing inspiration from these preferences, operators will be able to appeal to a broad range of diners who are seeking fish and seafood.
Preparation style and flavor are important, too—consumers’ favorite preparation styles for seafood are grilled, deep-fried, pan-fried, sauteed, stir-fried and steamed, and their favorite ways flavor is added is through seasonings/spices, sauces, spreads or condiments, marinades and glazes. In short, there’s no shortage of ways to prepare seafood. Operators should consider offering a variety of classic options—baked fish with lemon and herbs, for instance—as well as trending flavors and less common types of fish and shellfish. But consumers are interested in more than simply great taste and a broad menu—they want to know where their seafood came from, too.
Highlighting transparency
When appealing to consumers’ priorities, taste isn’t the only thing operators should be mindful of. According to Technomic’s Poultry and Seafood report, 41% of consumers say it’s important that the environment is not negatively impacted because of the seafood they eat, and 38% say it’s important to know which country the seafood they eat is from. Sustainability and traceability are increasingly important to diners, so it’s crucial for operators to highlight these traits on menus where applicable and source seafood from suppliers who share those values.
Northern Wind understands the importance of complete transparency in the seafood industry and offers an array of seafood products restaurants and diners alike will love, including Ahi Tuna, MSC Certified North Atlantic Lobster and a range of scallop brands that offer operators affordable price points, consistent sizing, quality and grading. Northern Wind was the first company in the industry to track and verify its scallops by origin, harvest area, vessel name and landing date, offering both operators and diners the information they want about the seafood they’re eating. Founder and chairman of Northern Wind, Ken Melanson, said, “We want our customers and foodservice operators to join us on our quest to deliver Seafood With Integrity to restaurants and consumers everywhere.”
By serving foods that not only taste great but offer the traceability and sustainability traits diners want, operators can boost menu appeal and encourage repeat visits.
To learn more about Northern Wind and how it delivers Seafood With Integrity, visit here.
This post is sponsored by Northern Wind LLC