Seafood Business articles from February 2007

Seafood Business archives from February 2007

More features and news for you.(Editor's Note)
February 1, 2007... This issue marks the launch of a new feature, Processing & Services, written by SeaFood Business Contributing Editor Lauren Kramer. This month s topic, extending shelf life on the processing line, shows how processors are using the latest...

Task force calls for responsible aquaculture: feds seek fivefold increase in domestic farmed-fish production by 2025.(aquaculture)
February 1, 2007... If the U.S. Department of Commerce's objective to quintuple aquaculture production to $5 billion annually is achieved by 2025, fish farmers must focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility. That was the message of the...

Alaska politician fined: Ben Stevens failed to report $392,500.(processing)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The Alaska Public Offices Commission on Jan. 11 fined outgoing state Sen. Ben Stevens $5,000 for failing to disclose the names and payments of his consulting firm's seafood-industry clients, as required by law. The clients--Southeast...

Four parties vie for FPI'S assets: Newfoundland government must approve any sale.(processing)
February 1, 2007... Fishery Products International by late January had received four separate bids to purchase its assets. The St. John's, Newfoundland, company's suitors include High Liner Foods of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia; Ocean Choice International and the...

Inland Seafood.(Biz BRIEFS)
February 1, 2007... Inland Seafood reopened its facility in downtown New Orleans, which was heavily damaged during Hurricane Katrina. During construction, Inland relocated to Kenner, La. The current address is 2527 Perdido St., New Orleans, LA 70119. Phone number...

Rich-SeaPak Corp.(Biz BRIEFS)
February 1, 2007... Rich-SeaPak Corp. officially became Rich Products Corp. on Jan. 1. The Rich family acquired SeaPak Corp. in 1976, helping it become one of the world's largest family-owned companies;

Hanson Logistics.(Biz BRIEFS)
February 1, 2007... Hanson Logistics will construct a 14.5 million-cubic-foot temperature-controlled Consolidation Center in Chicago to support order mixing, freight consolidation and shared truckload delivery to retail and foodservice. The center will be...

Preferred Freezer Services.(Biz BRIEFS)
February 1, 2007... Preferred Freezer Services' 16th ultra-modern facility is now open in Westfield, Mass., the Newark, N.J., company's fourth facility in the Bay State. The new location features 7.5 million cubic feet of freezer space.

Hanjin Trading Co. Ltd.(Biz BRIEFS)
February 1, 2007... Hanjin Trading Co. Ltd, closed an industrial lease agreement for 10,268 square feet at 15320 Valley View Ave., La Mirada, CA 90638. The transaction was handled by JRT Realty and its partner, Cushman & Wakefield, on behalf of the building's...

Buffett shuns Canadian seafood: musician joins boycott, but maintains relationship with FPI.(foodservice)
February 1, 2007... Musician Jimmy Buffett will not menu Canadian seafood at his seven Margaritaville Cafes in the United States and the Caribbean until Atlantic Canada banishes its annual seal hunt. Buffett is one of more than 2,000 restaurateurs, retailers...

La. fishermen get $20 million in aid: federal grants, small business loans available.(supply)
February 1, 2007... Louisiana fishermen and seafood processors are a step closer to direct financial assistance after suffering hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and lost sales due to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. On Jan. 12, the Louisiana...

Rotten salmon causes a stink: Alaska fishermen, plant workers left unpaid.(processing)
February 1, 2007... A defunct Alaska salmon processor and its financier face criminal charges for allowing 400 tons of salmon to rot and for failing to pay the fishermen. Alaska's attorney general on Jan. 11 charged Wild Alaskan Seafood Co. and its manager,...

La Provence.(Line ITEMS)
February 1, 2007... Chef John Besh purchased La Provence in Lacombe, La., from his longtime mentor, Chris Kerageorgiou. The restaurant, where Besh got his start more than 10 years ago, will continue to run as it has, with a brief break this summer for renovations....

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants.(Line ITEMS)
February 1, 2007... Cameron Mitchell Restaurants unveiled new looks for two of its concepts. Mitchell's Steakhouse sports new black leather booths, artwork, wood floors, fabric panels and draperies. Columbus Fish Market features a remodeled lobby and bar.

Jimmy's Harborside Restaurant.(Line ITEMS)
February 1, 2007... Jimmy's Harborside Restaurant in Boston was torn down beginning Jan. 9. The storied restaurant closed New Year's Eve 2005 after 50 years of service. A new development, possibly including a new Jimmy's, will be built in its place.

Australis Aquaculture and western Kingfish Ltd.(Line ITEMS)
February 1, 2007... Australis Aquaculture and western Kingfish Ltd. plan a joint venture to produce yellowtail kingfish in the United States. Australis, of Turners Falls, Mass., bought 2.5 million shares Of WKL in exchange for use of its technology and services.

Carroll Manufacturing & Sales.(Line ITEMS)
February 1, 2007... Carroll Manufacturing & Sales launched its new Web site, www.cmsflavorseal.com, highlighting the Ohio company's complete line of packaging systems and food quality/safety solutions.

Slade Gorton debuts shrimp: vannamei available under Breakwater label.(distribution)
February 1, 2007... Slade Gorton & Co. has partnered with a Venezuelan shrimp farm to supply head-on white shrimp to the U.S. market. The Boston importer and distributor launched a nationwide marketing campaign for the product on Jan. 22. Slade Gorton is the...

Surimi labeling law irks Maine lobstermen: council says FDA ruling harms the state's signature industry.(marketing)
February 1, 2007... The Maine Lobster Promotion Council says a new federal labeling law that allows surimi producers to drop the "imitation" tag is a threat to lobstermen. In December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permitted surimi, a whitefish paste...

Importer sentenced in fraud case: Danny Nguyen gets 51 months in federal prison.(trade)
February 1, 2007... After pleading guilty last August to 42 counts of consumer fraud, Danny Nguyen in early January was sentenced in federal court to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Nguyen smuggled more than 1 million pounds of...

A new England retrospective.(Off THE SHELF)(Mystic Seafood Great Recipes: History and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport)(Brief article)(Book review)
February 1, 2007... Mystic Seafood Great Recipes, History and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport, written by Jean Kerr, with Spencer Smith, is more than just a cookbook. The 224-page book is full of narrative about fish and fishing, making it as entertaining as it...

Are high prices here to stay?(One Man's Opinion)
February 1, 2007... Ask seafood buyer how business is these days and the first thing you'll probably hear is a groan and then maybe an expletive about how high prices are making fish harder and harder to sell. Make no mistake--prices are high. Take Dungeness...

Farmed salmon: the right thing to eat.(Point of View)
February 1, 2007... When Americans aren't buying or eating farmed salmon (it's 22 percent of the fresh fish sold at retail) they're reading about it, and very little of what they read is positive. The attacks on farmed salmon fall into two categories: the...

Shrimp: black tiger supplies tighten over the long run: the Philippines repeals Pacific-white ban, black tigers cost up to $1 more than a year ago.(Market Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Add the Philippines to the growing list of Asian tries shifting farmed-shrimp production from black tigers (Penaeus monodon) to Pacific whites (P. vannamei). Last month, the country lifted its ban on Pacific-white imports, enacted five years...

Salmon: inclement weather hinders king fisheries: tight supplies, strong demand keep chinook prices high.(Market Report)
February 1, 2007... The momentum king salmon gained this summer has carried over to this winter's Southeast Alaska troll fishery. In December, kings commanded as much as $10 a pound at the docks and averaged as high as $8.46 the week of Dec. 17, up from $7.13...

Whitefish: domestic catfish production falls 6 percent: imports of Chinese channel catfish and Vietnamese basa soar.(Market Report)
February 1, 2007... For the first time in five years, domestic catfish production in 2006 fell short of the 600-million-pound mark. Meanwhile, imports of channel catfish fillets from China last year were on pace to eclipse 8 million pounds. The narrowing...

King, Spanish mackerel bountiful.(FOCUS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... NMFS: No quota cuts on the horizon King and Spanish mackerel populations in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are healthy, and quotas are expected to remain the same in the 2007-08 fishing year, says an official with the National Marine...

Shellfish: Dungeness crab prices scare buyers away: short supplies, brought on by bad weather, send costs skyward.(Market Report)
February 1, 2007... After two banner seasons, buyers' reaction to peak-season Dungeness crab is one of disappointment. Supplies are short due, in part, to poor weather. In Oregon, where Dungeness is the most valuable fishery for a single species, landings are...

Now is the time to push soups, chowders, appetizers: winter months the most popular for seafood side items.(Retail Report)
February 1, 2007... Seafood side items, which consists of seafood salad, soups, appetizers and stuffing, provide important support for main entrees purchased in the seafood or other perishables departments. Nationally, side products averaged 1 percent of total...

MSA's evolution: Alaska, the top U.S. seafood source, is a blueprint for fisheries management.(Top Story)
February 1, 2007... Well past midnight on an otherwise quiet Saturday in December, the House of Representatives passed a long-awaited bill that reauthorized and strengthened U.S. fishery-management laws. To surprised seafood skeptics from Cape Cod to the Aleutian...

Extending shelf life: processors try to increase safety, shelf life with dips, sprays and ozonated water.(Processing & Services)
February 1, 2007... Shelf life is a pivotal concern for all companies handling a perishable commodity like seafood. Processors grapple with handling and shipping seafood product as fast and as safely as possible so that their customers have a quality product to...

Canned tuna: tuna canners, big and small, launch flavored products to bolster sales.(Top 10 Species)
February 1, 2007... It's no secret that the canned-tuna category has been mired in a sales slump over the past few years. But some of the segment's movers and shakers are hopeful that new products, enhanced packaging and heightened marketing muscle--emphasizing...

New devices speed service: restaurateurs enjoy efficiency, customers like pay-at-table security.(Trend Watch)
February 1, 2007... One of the most common disgruntlements of American diners is the process of paying the bill. It can take a long time for wait staff to deliver the tab, pick up the credit card and return it to the customer after the payment transaction has been...

Location, location, location: choosing correct customer base is as important as real estate.(Case Study)
February 1, 2007... Grand Mart International Food specializes in seafood, particularly tilapia, squid and shrimp, for the Hispanic and Asian customers it caters to. Seafood departments typically account for 15 percent of overall gross store sales, says Young Lee,...

Cozymel's fish focus: new management at pan-Latin chain thinks outside the tortilla.(In the Kitchen)
February 1, 2007... Seafood stands to gain at Cozymel's. "Mexico has 5,200 miles of coastline, and we want to bring that to the table," says Tudie Frank-Johnson, corporate executive chef for the 12-unit, Dallas-based Mexican grill chain, and its new sibling,...

Crab cakes: this versatile product transcends menu categories.(Product Spotlight)
February 1, 2007... It's no wonder crab cakes have become one of the fastest-growing menu items in recent years. The product is a very popular restaurant appetizer and its sales performance ranks up with shrimp. Contributing to the product's popularity is its...

Buyers hit Boston: North America's biggest seafood show appears March 11 to 13.(IBSS Preview)(International Boston Seafood Show)
February 1, 2007... This year marks the 25th anniversary of the International Boston Seafood Show, and it promises to be a lively event with innovative products and networking opportunities for the industry's top buyers. Collocated on the same level of the...

IBSS 2007 seminar program: conference program assembles industry experts to help build your business.(Conference Schedule)(International Boston Seafood Show, Seafood Processing America)
February 1, 2007... Visitors to the International Boston Seafood Show and Seafood Processing America have more than new products they're looking for; many use the show as their once-a-year training program. A wide variety of seminars round out this year's program,...

Machines big business at processing show: third annual Seafood Processing America highlights processing equipment, technology and services.(SPA PREVIEW)
February 1, 2007... The third annual Seafood Processing America, the destination point for buyers interested in processing equipment, technology and services, comes to Boston March 11 to 13. The show lets you take care of all of your product needs, as well as find...

At-Sea Processors.(People in the News)
February 1, 2007... The At-Sea Processors Association hired Stephanie Madsen as its executive director. Prior to joining the APA, Madsen was VP of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association, where she had worked since 1999. She currently serves as chairman of the...

CombiScale.(People in the News)
February 1, 2007... CombiScale, a Chicago supplier of multi-head combination scales, added Julio Lozano and Miguel Correa to its customer service team. Lozano is responsible for sales and customer service and Correa oversees installation and servicing of all...

Weighpack Systems.(People in the News)
February 1, 2007... Weighpack, a manufacturer of weighing, filling and packaging machinery, added Vasile Neagu to the service team in Las Vegas. Neagu oversees installation and servicing for Weighpack's West Coast customers and coordinates all inhouse product...

Walton Family Foundation.(People in the News)
February 1, 2007... The Walton Family Foundation in Bentonville, Ark., named Scott Burns director of its Conservation and Environment Program. Burns was previously director of the World Wildlife Fund's Marine Conservation Program in Washington, D.C., and a Marine...

Connors Bros.(People in the News)(Connors Bros. Income Fund promoted Ron Schindler to executive vice president and managing director)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Connors Bros. Income Fund promoted Ron Schindler to executive VP and managing director of Canada and international. Previously the senior VP, Canada and international, Schindler has 27 years of sales and marketing experience in consumer grocery...

Multivac.(People in the News)(appointed five regional sales managers)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Multivac appointed five regional sales managers to its U.S. Foods division. Bryan Barner will manage Arkansas, Louisiana and southeastern Texas; Gregg Poffenbarger will manage Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and northern Texas; Kentucky,...

McCormick.(People in the News)
February 1, 2007... McCormick & Co. appointed Michael D. Mangan, senior VP and CFO of The Black & Decker Corp., to its board of directors. Mangan has served in his current position since 2000.

GAA.(People in the News)(Global Aquaculture Alliance hired Wally Stevens as executive director)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The Global Aquaculture Alliance in St. Louis hired Wally Stevens as its executive director. Stevens was president and CO0 of Slade Gorton & Co. in Boston, where he worked for 16 years until retiring in August 2006. He also served as chairman of...

Great shrimp easy.(VALUE-ADDED)
February 1, 2007... Rich Products Corp. has introduced an unbreaded, first-of-a kind shrimp to the national market. Seasoned Shrimp combines marinated shrimp with a light sprinkling of herbs and spices. Designed for quick and easy saute preparation, the product's...

Micro mussels.(VALUE-ADDED)
February 1, 2007... Kono New Zealand introduces marinated New Zealand mussels and flavored halfshell mussels. The marinated mussels are a ready-to-eat retail item that has a chilled/refrigerated shelf life of eight months. New Zealand greenshell mussel meats are...

It's no sweat.(REFRIGERATION)
February 1, 2007... MasteroBilt unveils the Anti-Sweat Module (ASM-115) for glass door walk-ins, which alleviates condensation build up on glass doors and frames. The module allows for continuous product visibility while also significantly reducing energy costs....

Automatically bagged.(REFRIGERATION)
February 1, 2007... Ice Pro is an automatic ice bagging and dispensing system available from Follett Corp. With up to 1,000 pounds of ice storage, Ice Pro automatically dispenses cube ice into bags, carts and other receptacles, eliminating the need to shovel or...

Clean blast.(REFRIGERATION)
February 1, 2007... Karcher Industrial Products introduces the IB 15/80 Dry Ice Blaster. The ice blaster allows for in-place cleaning that eliminates. the need to disassemble or move machinery before it is cleaned and is non-abrasive and safe to use on virtually...

Seafood illuminated.(DISPLAY)
February 1, 2007... The Amerlux Lighting Solutions Evoke 2.9-inch Downlights for seafood displays is designed around the latest low-wattage metal halide light sources. The offering consists of downlights, recessed adjustable accents, pinhole adjustable accents and...

Room for rejection.(SCALES)
February 1, 2007... Thompson Scale Co. has released the 4693-R Heavy-Duty Check weigher. The checkweigher is ideal for production facilities that produce heavy or bulk items and do not have the extra space for a separate reject conveyor to remove their off-weight...

Heat sleeve.(PACKAGING)
February 1, 2007... Gimbert Surgeles' microwave fish solution uses Graphic Packag ing International's new Microrite[TM] susceptor technology. The sleeve is intended to rapidly heat, brown and crisp the exterior of the coated fish slice reducing cook time. Contact...

Seafood calendar.(Calendar)
February 1, 2007... MARCH March 5-7 International Smoked Seafood Conference Hotel Captain Cook Anchorage, Alaska Contact Liz Brown, Alaska Marine Advisory Program Alaska Sea Grant (907) 842-1265 bfeab@uaf.edu ...

Justin Timineri.(One on One)(Interview)
February 1, 2007... Executive chef Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Tallahassee, Fla. As Florida's "culinary ambassador," Justin Timineri wears multiple hats, in addition to a toque. He's a marketer, an event organizer, a writer and a...