Seafood Business articles from March 2002

Seafood Business archives from March 2002

Seafood labels under scrutiny; congress, consumers look to labels for more accurate product information.
March 1, 2002... High-ranking politicians are scrutinizing the labels of the seafood products you buy and sell, and this could spell big changes for your business if you're a supplier, importer or retailer. If some influential U.S. senators get their way,...

Customs doles out Byrd money; Heritage Salmon is only seafood industry recipient in first round. (Trade).(salmon producer receives tariff refund under Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A Maine farmed salmon producer was the only seafood company compensated under a new law allowing domestic companies injured by unjust trade practices to collect taxes levied against imported goods. Heritage Salmon received a $45,909.22...

Investment firm acquires Captain D's Restaurant; Lone Star Funds pledges to grow the struggling fast-casual chain. (Foodservice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Financially ailing Captain D's is receiving a boost from a Dallas private investment firm that has vowed to strengthen and expand the fast-casual seafood concept. Lone Star Funds agreed in late January to acquire Shoney's, parent of...

Shrimp importers hire attorney. (Late News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Eight of the 18 shrimp companies that may be sued by a consumer group over the toxic antibiotic chloramphenicol hired an attorney in mid-February. At press time, the Consumer Advocacy Group still had two days left of its 60-day notice...

FPI, Clearwater call off merger. (Late News).(Fishery Products International; Clearwater Fine Foods Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Fishery Products International last month abandoned plans to acquire Clearwater Fine Foods after both companies agreed it was too difficult to proceed with the transaction, given the political controversy surrounding proposed layoffs. The $510...

Landry's nets C.A. Muer Corp.(Landry's Restaurants Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Landry's Restaurants last month acquired C.A. Muer Corp. and its 16 fine-dining and upscale-casual seafood restaurants, which include Big Fish Seafood Bistro and Charley's Crab, for $28 million in cash. Plans are already in the works to expand...

@.com. (Newsline).(seafood industry-related Web sites)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... @ www.nal.usda.gov/ fsrio is the new Web site created by the National Agricultural Library's Food Safety Research Information Office in Beltsville, Md. The site includes food-safety news and more than 100 links to Web-based food-safety research...

Trapper's Creek claims top prize at annual Symphony of Seafood; So-Cal's seafood salsa wins People's Choice in Chicago. (New Products).
March 1, 2002... Judges chose Smoked Salmon Sprinkles from Trapper's Creek Smoking Co. as the grand prize winner in this year's Alaska Symphony of Seafood new product competition. The Sprinkles can be used as a topping for salads, soups and potatoes. The...

Luby's opens seafood concept; cafeteria chain experiments with quick-service restaurant in Texas. (Foodservice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A Texas-based cafeteria chain has inched away from its traditional format and opened a new quick-service seafood concept north of Houston. Luby's remodeled its Huntsville, Texas, restaurant, which had been closed since September, and...

Sam's takes on salmon tenders; Alaska Seafood International hits it big. (Retail).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Alaska Seafood International has rolled out a frozen salmon product at Sam's Club, a wholesale grocer with 500 stores nationwide. Jalapeno and Cheese Fiesta Salmon Tenders premiered at the retailer's two Anchorage, Alaska, stores in early...

Facts & figures. (Newsline).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Methylmercury 1 Food and Drug Administration's tolerance level for methylmercury in fish, in parts per million 0.25 Tolerance level proposed by legislation last year, in ppm 1.4 Approximate value of seafood with...

Phillips expands operations as well as retail product line; new facility triples manufacturing capacity for value-added items. (Processing).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Phillips Foods plans to move its manufacturing, corporate headquarters and distribution facilities to a new, larger location to gain more room to produce value-added products. The Baltimore restaurant chain and supplier of value-added...

Red Lobster shows how to shop; commercials will air through June teaching consumers how to buy seafood. (Marketing).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The seafood industry is getting a taste of generic marketing on Red Lobster's dime. The casual-seafood dining leader is teaching consumers how to buy fresh seafood in national TV commercials and on local noontime TV cooking shows. "We have...

Bread & Circus `labels' fish; `Passionately Picky' ads highlight quality standards. (Retail).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Bread & Circus, a supermarket concept owned by Whole Foods Market in Austin, Texas, has launched an ad campaign for its 21 Northeast stores to highlight its strict quality standards for unpackaged perishables like seafood, produce and cheese....

Empress International.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Empress International of Port Washington, N.Y., opened a Midwest office in Chicago on March 4...

Icebrand Foods.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Icebrand Seafoods in Portland, Maine, changed its name to Icebrand Foods to better reflect the company's move into value-added products...

Agribuys.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Wegmans Food Markets of Rochester, N.Y., selected Agribuys' online trading platform for perishables...

American Honda Motor Co.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The National Fisheries Institute gave its Ridley Award to American Honda Motor Co. in recognition of its involvement in NFI's Sea Turtle Restoration Project...

Rubio's Baja Grill.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rubio's Baja Grill opened a restaurant on the campus of the University of San Diego on Jan. 28...

Stop & Shop Supermarket Co.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. signed a letter of intent in January to purchase Big V Supermarkets, which has 31 supermarkets under the Shop Rite banner in New York's Hudson Valley...

The Preferred Group.(builds cold storage facility in Massachusetts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Preferred Group has started construction on a site in Sharon, Mass., the company's first cold storage facility in New England. The plant, which will have 5 million cubic feet of freezer space and a 20,000 square foot loading dock, is...

Heritage Salmon.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Citing poor market conditions, George Weston has taken its Heritage Salmon aquaculture operations oft the market, nearly a year after announcing its intention to sell the business.

Catfish producer turns to prawn farming in effort to boost sales; declining catfish prices prompt AquaPro venture into freshwater shrimp. (Aquaculture).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... One of the country's largest catfish producers is converting around 10 percent of its aquaculture ponds from catfish to freshwater shrimp. AquaPro Corp., which manages 2,650 acres of aquaculture ponds in northwestern Mississippi, may...

Wild Oats' promotion touts fish; retailer spotlights heart-healthy foods in February. (Retail).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Seafood was one of several heart-healthy foods featured at Wild Oats Markets during February's "Indulge Your Heart's Desire" promotion, held in conjunction with American Heart Month and Valentine's Day. As part of the month-long event, on...

FDA sets priorities for seafood; annual internal review puts focus on HACCP. (Food Safety).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Seafood safety reports to Congress top the current "to-do" list at the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Seafood. The FDA released on Jan. 29 its annual progress report for the past year and 2002 priorities for the Center for Food...

Two conservation groups launch `Fish and Tell' tour; project aims to raise support for improved fisheries management. (Environment).(Marine Fish Conservation Network, Seafood Choices Alliance)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Marine Fish Conservation Network and Seafood Choices Alliance sponsored a "Fish and Tell" tour during January and February to raise support among inland states for greater conservation in fisheries management. The tour included press...

In my kitchen. (Newsline).(Tenney Flynn)(Interview)
March 1, 2002... Tenney Flynn Co-owner/executive chef GW Fins New Orleans Restaurant concept: Global seafood Seafood sales: More than 90 percent of total Finfish on the menu: Swordfish, salmon, drum, yellowfin tuna, triple tail, pompano, halibut,...

Idiot's guide to running a restaurant. (Off The Shelf).(The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting Your Own Restaurant)
March 1, 2002... If you catch yourself daydreaming about opening a seafood restaurant of your own, first read Howard Cannon's "The Complete Idiot's Guide[R] to Starting Your Own Restaurant." Cannon has 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry and...

Shrimp prices stabilize but stay attractive; large sizes of Latin American shrimp are fetching almost $2 a pound less than a year ago. (Shrimp).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Shrimp prices were stable in January and February, and demand was consistent. Buyers should expect more of the same in March. Ecuador's shrimp harvest peaks this time of year, and Ecuadoran and other Latin American whites remain a bargain,...

Halibut, sablefish fisheries kick off; domestic pollock shatterpacks are becoming more expensive. (Groundfish).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Halibut will hit the docks for the first time in four months on March 18. This year's fishery, which opens three days later than last year, has a little more to harvest; the 2002 quota is 74.92 million pounds, up from 73.18 million pounds in...

Crab dealers build their inventories; domestic American lobster and scallop prices drop unexpectedly. (Shellfish).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Alaska's Bering Sea snow crab fishery lasted more than three weeks, closing Feb. 8 when fishermen met the 28.5-million-pound quota. As domestic fishermen were hauling in the snow crab catch, Canadian clusters held steady in the mid-S3 range....

Sea bass is in demand; prices may edge up as a result. (Focus).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Demand for Chilean sea bass, also referred to as Patagonian toothfish, is as strong as it's ever been. Though demand for Chilean sea bass usually subsides in mid-March when the eight-month halibut fishery opens, that's not likely to occur...

Lent, Valentine's Day drive sales; buyers should expect another surge before Good Friday. (Salmon).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Ash Wednesday, which kicked off Lent on Feb. 13, and Valentine's Day on Feb. 14 brought a much-needed lift to the farmed Atlantic salmon market last month. Demand increased in early February, as buyers scrambled to fill ad commitments....

Let's get back to the basics. (Editor's Note).(patron-oriented service in seafood restaurants' food service)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A little time has passed since "recession" and "terrorism" became common words at the dinner table. That passage of time has revealed how adaptable some companies can be during difficult circumstances. In our January cover story,...

Trade remedy exists. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2002... In his letter "Unfair catfish competition" (Jan. SFB, page 18), Seymour Johnson of Catfish Farmers of America states that remedies for unfair competition are available only for import competition from market economies, and not from nonmarket...

"Shame on you". (Letters).
March 1, 2002... I have been involved in the seafood industry for over 30 years, and have always been able to take pride in an industry that has traditionally been at the forefront of conservation responsibility while providing the public with a consistent...

Bioterrorism focus may affect seafood shipments. (Issues & Answers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Ancient Egyptians heaved dead cows into their enemy's wells to contaminate the water -- an early example of bioterrorism. Today, heightened fears of bioterrorism may profoundly change the way the Food and Drug Administration regulates seafood....

Who's looking out for importers' interests? (Trade Forum).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Each spring, representatives of the nation's 10,000 car dealers, who import automobiles in more than 40 states, make the rounds on Capitol Hill, where they always make a strong pitch for free trade. They do this even though the American...

Les Burtner rides Salmon Express to success; Alaska fisherman provides his own fish for his healthful fast-food concept. (Seafood Star).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Les Burtner, remembers when Alaska's red salmon fishermen lived by the motto catch as many as you can as fast as you can." In the 1980s it was all about production -- bigger boats, the latest gear and filling the demands of the local salmon...

Functional foods soar. (Heads up).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The U.S. market for functional, or health-enhancing, foods and beverages is worth more than $11 billion, says a new report, "Strategies in Functional Foods & Beverages 2002: The Hottest Topics," published by New Nutrition Business. Breakfast...

Frozen food revival. (Heads up).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Consumer demand for quick meals has revived the frozen food category, says MarketResearch.com. Frozen options include bowl meals, restaurant-quality pizza and hand-held entrees, mostly all available in ethnic varieties. The report "The U.S....

Natural goes mainstream. (Heads up).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Natural foods have gone mainstream, says MarketResearch.com's report "U.S. Health and Natural Food Market." Many of the larger supermarket chains have created natural food sections in their stores, and now half of natural food sales occur in...

Full-service seafood makes a comeback in supermarkets; Food Marketing Institute study suggests grocers may be returning to service in new seafood departments. (Trend Watch).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... At the newly remodeled Hannaford grocery store in Portland, Maine, the full-service seafood department offers three cases of fresh seafood, three self-service cases, a lobster tank and a demo station. A dark-blue-tiled back wall adorned with...

Champps adds salmon. (Side dish).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A new grilled salmon dish is among the top-selling entrees at Champps. Special grill grates were ordered for every unit so the 10-ounce fillet could be grilled slowly, preserving moisture and keeping flavors from intermingling. Introduced as a...

Seafood sampler. (Side dish).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Chef David Shea of Twelve 12 in Chicago has added a new Street view menu in the more casual cafe area, spotlighting seafood dishes priced and portioned for sampling. Variations of the more ambitious food served in the main dining room, the...

Yankee foods. (Side dish).(Abstract)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Jasper White of the Summer Shack in Cambridge, Mass., has always been concerned with the history of the food he serves. To that end, he has organized a "Yankee Feast" to educate consumers about the importance of local culinary traditions and...

Chefs are getting a kick out of seafood; bold and spicy concoctions are notching up seafood's flavor profile. (On The Menu).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... To set their specialties apart from the pack in these highly competitive times, operators have turned up the volume on flavor levels. And when it comes to fish and shellfish, simpler is no longer necessarily better. Even mainstream chains...

Retail Q and A. (The Grocery Store).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Q: Where can I find online market updates for the seafood industry? A: There are several good places on the Internet that offer free market updates as well as more detailed information on a fee-for-service basis. Here are a few: ...

Frozen products help boost overall seafood sales; consumers appreciate having both fresh and frozen options to choose from. (The Grocery Store).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... For years, fresh seafood has been pitted against frozen in the seafood department. But some supermarkets are finally putting to rest the old "bait box" stigma of frozen grocery-store seafood. Chains like Publix Super Markets in Florida, which...

Mussels: the market for mussels is growing steadily, but can New Zealand and Prince Edward Island producers keep up with demand? (Species Focus).
March 1, 2002... It's hard to find an Italian eatery, whether a 200-restaurant chain or an independent bistro, that doesn't serve mussels as an appetizer or with one of its pasta dishes. And it's just as difficult to find a retail outlet that doesn't stock...

Atlantic mackerel: it's on the menu at gourmet restaurants, but this full-flavored fish remains a hard sell to most Americans. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Steve Connolly knows a thing or two about fish. After all, he s sold it for almost 50 years. And the Boston distributor thinks Atlantic mackerel is "one of the best fish that comes out of the sea." "It's sweet, and it's got an incredible...

Slicers/portioners: equipment manufacturers turn to digital technology for increased precision and processing efficiency. (Equipment).
March 1, 2002... Years ago, slicing and portioning machines left a lot of wasted seafood behind in the trim bin. But processors are more demanding nowadays, and they want the expensive machines they've invested in to give maximum yield, with little or no waste,...

Let the show begin: welcome to the 20th annual International Boston Seafood Show, where buyers connect with sellers around the globe. (IBSS Visitor's Guide).
March 1, 2002... The International Boston Seafood Show, the largest seafood industry event in North America, will launch its 20th year when the Hynes Convention Center opens its doors March 12-14. Sponsored by SeaFood Business magazine and the National...

Product directory: the seafood products and equipment you don't want to miss are all listed here for easy reference. (IBSS Visitor's Guide).
March 1, 2002... With so little time to see so much during the International Boston Seafood Show, you need all the help you can get in locating the products that are most important to your business. The exhibits at IBSS cover the entire seafood business,...

Three-day 2002 conference schedule: seminar program at IBSS offers a broad range of timely topics you won't want to miss. (IBSS Visitor's Guide).(International Boston Seafood Show )
March 1, 2002... Keeping current on issues that affect their industry is of vital importance to seafood professionals. The conference program at this year's International Boston Seafood Show covers a range of topics designed to help keep you on top in your...

Seasource. (People).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Betsy Freeman, co-owner of Seasource in Morristown, N.J., has taken responsibility for national fresh fish sales to foodservice and supermarket chains. She will continue as senior buyer for domestic purchasing and export sales. Seasource...

Cargotech. (People).(Will Andrews, new manager for the forklift manufacturer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Cargotech, manufacturer of AirLiner[R] inflatable insulated packaging, hired Will Andrews as southeastern regional manager. He will introduce AirLiner[R] to seafood industries in Florida and the Southeast.

POCL. (People).(P and O Cold Logistics)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... P&O Cold Logistics named Robert Burkey to its management team in the position of VP of information technology USA. Based in POCL's U.S. corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, Burkey will oversee all technology initiatives nationwide. Paul...

Agribuys. (People).(Vijay Yajnik, new boss at Agribuys)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Vijay Yajnik has joined Agribuys as president and chief operating officer. Yajnik was previously with the WorldWide Retail Exchange. California-based Agribuys is a major supply chain integrator for the global food industry, with offices in...

Holt Consulting Group. (People).(business consultant firm)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... John Holt Jr., former president and partner of Holt, Hughes and Stamell, has founded Holt Consulting Group. Holt is president of the Portland, Maine, company, which serves as an objective partner helping companies achieve their business goals.

ASFMC. (People).(Atlantic States Fisheries Management Commission )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... New executive director of the Atlantic States Fisheries Management Commission is U.S. Coast Guard Capt. John Vincent O'Shea. O'Shea spent more than 30 years in the Coast Guard, working mostly with commercial fishermen. He also served as USCG...

Sysco. (People).(Sysco Food Services )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Larry Pulliam will return to Sysco's corporate office in Houston as senior vice president of merchandising services. Currently president and CEO of Sysco Food Services of Houston LP, he will assume the new position before the end of Sysco's...

Baked-in crunch. (Value-added).(new ready to bake calamari by Tampa Maid)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Tampa Maid's new ready-to-bake calamari promises the same crispy crunch as fried calamari. Oven-Ready Calamari is made from premium loligo rings coated with a crumb that can be baked or fried. The calamari rings are excellent for operators...

Versatile crab cakes. (Value-added).(new products by Mrs. Friday's)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Mrs. Friday's introduces Gourmet and Scratch Recipe crab cakes made with real crabmeat and blended with Japanese panko breadcrumbs, mustard, celery, onion and garlic. Gourmet crab cakes are made with 100 percent blue-swimming-crab meat and can...

Locked-in moisture. (Value-added).(Arctic Mist Flavor-Loc by Alaska Seaffod)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Alaska Seafood International launches a new line of value-added products made with Arctic Mist Flavor-Loc[TM], a patent-pending marinade-injection process that retains the moisture in fish. The marinade is made of all-natural flavors, spices...

Rings for retail. (Value-added).(new products by Ocean Jewel)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Restaurant-style, oven-ready breaded calamari rings are now available for retail sale from Ocean Jewel, a brand of Expack Seafood. The rings come in Italian and original style and are ready to serve within 15 minutes. The package includes two...

Bowled over. (Value-added).(Aurora Foods announces new products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Frozen, single-serve shrimp bowls under the Mrs. Paul's brand are new from Aurora Foods. The bowls are available in four varieties: Alfredo, Thai peanut, sweet and sour and stir-fry. A convenient, microwave-ready package holds a combination of...

Quick and healthful. (Value-added).(new products by Slade Gorton and Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A line of tasty and healthful home meal replacement products under the Gourmet Bay[TM] brand is new from Slade Gorton & Co. The line includes salmon with seafood stuffing, teriyaki sea bass, catfish with cornbread stuffing and sole with lobster...

New freezing medium. (Freezers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Supachill USA has developed a method by the same name that uses a biodegradable liquid-freezing process to dramatically cut the time to thoroughly freeze food. The solution, a combination of Food and Drug Administration-approved additives with...

Blast freezing. (Freezers).(new freezers by Integrated Marine Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Integrated Marine Systems announces its FastFreezer family of portable blast freezers, with capacities of up to 12,000 pounds an hour. The versatile units use trolleys to convey variably sized dressed or packaged product on adjustable plates or...

Mighty reefer. (Freezers).(Heatcraft Refrigeration Products improves the performance of their units)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Heatcraft Refrigeration Products has expanded its PRO3 Refrigeration System for coolers sized from 2,500 to 14,500 Btu per hour and freezers from 1,850 to 9,050 Btu per hour. The system includes condensing and evaporation units to chill a...

Pure flavor. (Complements).(new food additives by Northice Ltd.)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Northice Ltd. Introduces a line of all-natural seafood flavors. NorthTaste is a frozen, pure-seafood flavor concentrate for use in soups, sauces, salad dressings, pates and stuffings. NorthTaste contains no additives, flavor enhancers or...

Easy crab cakes. (Complements).
March 1, 2002... Blue Crab Bay has created a crab-cake mix for the retail market. The mix contains cracker crumbs seasoned with Chesapeake Bay style seafood seasoning and air-dried red bell peppers, carrots, celery, tomatoes and leeks. Consumers add fresh or...

Calendar.
March 1, 2002... MARCH MARCH 12-14 * International Boston Seafood Show Hynes Convention Center; Boston Contact Diversified Business Communications (207) 842-5504; fax (207) 842-5505 www.bostonseafood.com MARCH 13-15 Food Safety Summit and...

Rick Cavanaugh seafood manager, food markets NW. (Talking To).(Interview)
March 1, 2002... Fish is the only job Rick Cavanaugh has ever known. Right after graduating from high school, back when Seattle still had fish plants on its waterfront, he was down on the docks offloading fishing boats. After a stint at a local seafood...