Seafood Business articles from September 2005

Seafood Business archives from September 2005

Shrimp drives frozen sales.(Top STORY)
September 1, 2005... What's in your freezer? Odds are that even seafood-savvy folks who relish a meal of the freshest fish keep at least a few frozen seafood products in their home freezer: certainly some shrimp, probably salmon burgers and maybe even a...

Upscale seafood concepts poised for growth.(FOODSERVICE)
September 1, 2005... The upscale-seafood arena is about to get bigger. A new high-end seafood concept called Blue Coral Seafood & Wine is slated to debut at the Fashion Island mall in tony Newport Beach, Calif., early next year. The restaurant is the brainchild of...

Nemos Seafood off to fast start in first year.(FOODSERVICE)
September 1, 2005... New Jersey restaurateur Chris Spears last year searched far and wide for opportunities to launch a new concept. In the end, the answer was obvious: "Seafood is the one market that hasn't been overrun," says Spears, a former Blimpie franchisee....

Three southern states ban Vietnamese basa.(Late NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama halted sales of Vietnamese basa last month after the Food and Drug Administration found the banned antibiotics ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin in several shipments of the farmed fish from three Vietnamese...

Tuna canners request dismissal of Prop 65 lawsuit.(Late NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Three tuna companies filed a motion in San Francisco Superior Court on Aug. 25 to dismiss Attorney General Bill Lockyer's lawsuit aimed at putting methylmercury-warning labels on canned tuna. Lockyer filed a lawsuit on June 21, 2004, under the...

Smoked-fish company to file for bankruptcy.(Late NEWS)
September 1, 2005... SeaSpecialties of Miami in late August was preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and reveal the sale of its divisions in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and the Mid-Atlantic. "The company expects to file a voluntary Chapter 11...

FDA approves irradiation for mollusks.(Late NEWS)
September 1, 2005... The FDA approved the use of irradiation on oysters, clams and mussels in mid-August. The National Fisheries Institute, along with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, petitioned the agency in 1999 requesting approval of...

Up the Creek Fish Camp & Grill plans expansion beyond Southeast: casual-seafood concept eyes Texas, Arkansas, New Jersey.(FOODSERVICE)
September 1, 2005... As Up the Creek Fish Camp & Grill nears its sixth birthday, the 11-restaurant chain is about to emerge as a significant player in the casual-seafood arena. The Duluth, Ga., Up the Creek Restaurants of America owns five units in the Atlanta...

Efforts to repeal Byrd Amendment intensify: Japan joins Canada and the EU in hitting U.S. products with tariffs.(TRADE)
September 1, 2005... Legislation to repeal the Byrd Amendment was added in late July to a collection of miscellaneous trade bills Congress will consider when it reconvenes in early September after its annual month-long break. The five-year-old law allows domestic...

Preferred Freezer Services.(Biz BRIEFS)
September 1, 2005... Preferred Freezer Services will open its biggest facility to date this fall at 460 Avenue P in Newark, N.J. The 8-million-cubic-foot operation will also house the company's new corporate headquarters.

Vita Food Products has entered an agreement with Avendra as an approved vendor of seafood products to Avendra accounts and distributors.(Biz BRIEFS)
September 1, 2005... Vita Food Products has entered an agreement with Avendra as an approved vendor of seafood products to Avendra accounts and distributors. Avendra, a procurement service for the hospitality industry, was founded in 2001 by ClubCorp USA, Fairmont...

Northeast Analytical.(Biz BRIEFS)
September 1, 2005... Northeast Analytical, an independent testing lab in Schenectady, N.Y., recently made its comprehensive testing service available to the seafood industry, analyzing seafood samples for metals, organic compounds, pesticides, PCBs (polychlorinated...

Evans crowned seafood king: Brennan's chef wins with wild shrimp recipe.(COMPETITION)
September 1, 2005... Chef Randy Evans of Brennan's of Houston was crowned "king of seafood" when he won the Great American Seafood Cook-off on Aug. 6 in New Orleans. Evans' Wild Caught Texas Shrimp with Biscuits and Gravy was the award-winning recipe. The...

Chicken of Sea's new ad campaign focuses on health, appearance: TV commercial is the canned-tuna giant's second after 14-year hiatus.(RETAIL)
September 1, 2005... Chicken of the Sea uses a combination of humor and physical appeal in its latest TV commercial to deliver the message that its shelf-stable seafood products are part of a healthy diet. About 780 million Americans will view 15- and 30-second...

Facts & figures.(News LINE)
September 1, 2005... 15 Projected number of named storms for the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season 15 Number of named storms in 2004 4 Number of hurricanes (Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne) to hit Florida in 2004 118 Number of years since four...

NFI hosts annual meeting: annual meeting includes Future Leader graduation.(CONFERENCE)
September 1, 2005... National Fisheries Institute members are preparing for their 60th Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference, which will be held Oct. 5 to 7 at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. Members of the organization will attend...

Global conference on benefits of eating seafood slated for December: buyers, dieticians to hear latest research findings on risks and advantages.(HEALTH)
September 1, 2005... An international conference to unveil the latest research on seafood's effects on health is scheduled for Dec. 5 to 7 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C. "Seafood & Health '05: Issues, Questions and Answers" will bring together...

Shrimp site targets consumers.(Line ITEMS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The National Fisheries Institute's Shrimp Council will launch a consumer Web site this fall at www.eatshrimp.com. The site will feature recipes, nutrition and health information, along with a feature called "Ask the Dietician," which aims to...

Farming shrimp in poultry country.(Line ITEMS)
September 1, 2005... The Delmarva Peninsula, known as the U.S. poultry capital, is now home to a new protein. Thomas Hanwerker is farming freshwater shrimp in tanks on his 5-acre holding in Sussex, Del. His year-old company, Just Shrimp, is targeting a niche market...

Mitchell's launches gluten-free menu.(Line ITEMS)(Mitchell's Fish Market)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Mitchell's Fish Market's new gluten-free menu makes ordering seafood meals easy for guests with celiac disease. Also called sprue, celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that afflicts one in 133 Americans. It causes an adverse reaction to...

Big retailers commit earlier than usual, softening the market: raw material prices rise overseas due to holiday demand, but prices hold firm in U.S. market.(SHRIMP)
September 1, 2005... If July and August are any indication, September will be a quiet month in the shrimp world. It's not a particularly bullish month to begin with. But an unusually active June caused the market to weaken in July, and importers don't expect it to...

Summer is winding down, but not prices: demand for wild sockeyes and kings and farmed Atlantics holds strong.(SALMON)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Don't be alarmed if you're paying more for wild sockeyes and kings and farmed Atlantics this summer. More fish are hitting the U.S. market than last summer, but demand is outstripping supply. By mid-August, Alaska's 2005 salmon catch had...

Florida lobster is here: but early catches are erratic.(PREVIEW)
September 1, 2005... Florida's spiny lobster fishery is off to a sluggish start. Catches were erratic during the first week of the harvest, which opened Aug. 6, report fishermen. But it's much too early to panic; the fishery runs through March 31. Between...

Red snapper catch is lagging; so is demand: prices of domestic and imported grouper are holding firm.(FINFISH)
September 1, 2005... The Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery stretched into September for the first time since 1999, when the monthly opener was reduced from 15 days to 10 days. Fishermen harvested just 263,876 pounds during the 10-day August opener, so more...

Discounts precede U.S. red king crab harvest: newly imposed tariff prices U.S. oysters out of the Canadian market.(SHELLFISH)
September 1, 2005... Now is an ideal time to buy small sections of red king crab. Supplies are bountiful, and dealers are discounting 16-20s, 20-24s and 20s-and-up in anticipation of next month's red king crab fishery in Bristol Bay. It's tough to predict how...

Why publish old news?(Editor's NOTE)
September 1, 2005... Nothing sells newspapers faster than a front-page food-safety scare. The Wall Street Journal published such a story on its Aug. 1 cover: "Mercury and Tuna: U.S. Advice Leaves Lots of Questions. The story tugged at readers hearts with the story...

Offshore Aquaculture Act a good start.(Letters TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... In his One Man's Opinion on Aquaculture (SFB July 2005) Peter Redmayne concludes, "Ultimately, however, the ability to grow fish off American shores will come down to simple economics. And it is here that any effort to develop a significant...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2005... The origination of the National Organic Aquaculture Working Group was misidentified in the July 2005 Newsline story "USDA names task force for organic farmed seafood." The NOAWG was organized by its initial co-chairs, Richard Nelson, Deborah...

Keeping the menu fresh is a challenge these days.(One Man's OPINION)
September 1, 2005... So what's new?" That's what a friend, the VP of purchasing for a successful restaurant company, asked me late this summer. His chefs were bugging him. They were looking for some new seafood items to put on their menu. He had been...

NFI is there to help fend off the regulatory 'gators.(NFI FORUM)(National Fisheries Institute)
September 1, 2005... A member recently asked me how the National Fisheries Institute balances a long-term, strategic approach to shaping our future with the more immediate need to help members get fish and seafood to market. "John," he asked, "how do we help...

Sales for sector finally show uptick: but government regulations and the high cost of shipping product sound a sour note.(Processing SURVEY)
September 1, 2005... Despite higher shipping and labor costs, seafood processors report their sales are on the uptick--for the first time since 1998, when SeaFood Business began surveying processors. Sixty-two percent who responded to this year's survey report...

Understanding the Endangered Species Act: the petition to list the Eastern oyster as endangered may spawn questions from consumers.(Seafood FAQ)
September 1, 2005... Don't be alarmed if consumers misuse the word "endangered" when purchasing oysters in the coming months, and don't be afraid to correct them. The government is in the early stages of considering a petition to list the Eastern oyster under the...

Boomers' dollars up for grabs: altered spending patterns of retirement-age Baby Boomers will keep retailers and restaurateurs on their toes.(Trend WATCH)
September 1, 2005... As Baby Boomers approach retirement in the next 10 years, their spending habits and lifestyles are likely to change dramatically. At 78 million strong, they represent the largest consumer group in the foodservice industry, so these changes will...

Mexican-style seafood a hit with Houston Anglos: Coco's opened in a Hispanic neighborhood, but the menu has broad-based appeal.(On the MENU)
September 1, 2005... When Steve Ponce opened Coco's Seafood Bar and Grill in Houston this spring, he expected that most of his customers would be Hispanics from the neighborhood, drawn by the family-style portions of Mexican-style seafood. After all,...

Seasonal labor pool spans generations: when lining up temporary help, don't overlook young recruits and retirees.(SeaFood UNIVERSITY)
September 1, 2005... Whether your peak selling season comes from the fish-driven meals of Lent, seafood platters for holiday parties or summer's clambakes, chances are you need to bring on extra help from time to time. Seasonal hiring provides a respite for...

Surimi seafood: along with challenges, manufacturers see opportunities to grow the market for analog products.(Species FOCUS)
September 1, 2005... Louis Shaheen, vice president of sales and marketing for TransOcean Products in Bellingham, Wash., figures 80 percent of U.S. consumers don't even know what surimi seafood is. And Shaheen, like most executives in the imitation-shellfish...

Surf clams: from fried strips to baked stuffed to juice, this big bivalve offers value and convenience.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... The surf clam (Spisula solidissima) often the "fried clams" on the menu of seafood eateries across the country. It's also the chopped clams grocers sell fresh or canned for making white clam sauce and chowder. The biggest of the East Coast...

Seafood joins Asian and Latin expos in LA: West Coast Seafood Show attendees also get free access to All Asia Foods and Expo Comida Latina.(WCSS PREVIEW)
September 1, 2005... The International West Coast Seafood Show returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center Oct. 9 and 10. Visitors this year will be able to source more than seafood at the two-day event, which is collocated with All Asia Foods and Expo Comida...

Refrigeration: maintaining the right temperature is key to the seafood-distribution chain.(Equipment FOCUS)
September 1, 2005... Keep it cold and keep it moving." That's the mantra of the seafood supply chain, which relies on peak-performance refrigeration equipment at every step. Whether icing or freezing the catch aboard fishing vessels, trucking it to processors and...

Trans-Ocean Products.(Gregory W. Cash appointed)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Bellingham, Wash., processor Trans-Ocean Products appointed Gregory W. Cash to the position of business development manager for the south-central region. Based in Louisville, Ky., Cash will develop new retail sales for Trans-Ocean's surimi...

King & Prince.(Russ Mentzer assumes additional responsibilities at King and Prince Seafood Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Russ Mentzer, president and CEO of King & Prince Seafood of Brunswick, Ga., assumed the additional responsibility of president and CEO of Fishking Processors of Los Angeles. Mentzer is responsible for providing leadership to both companies and...

PanaPesca.(People IN THE NEWS)
September 1, 2005... Stefano Pagliai, formally a procurement manager with PanaPesca Spa in Montecatini, Italy, has joined the PanaPesca USA Corp. team. PanaPesca USA is a member of the PanaInternational Group, based in Italy.

Shining Ocean.(People IN THE NEWS)
September 1, 2005... In recent promotions at Shining Ocean, Michael Faris, former executive VP and national sales manager, was named president, and Robert Bleu, former VP of sales for the eastern division, was promoted to VP of sales and marketing. Both are 12-year...

Icelandic USA.(appointments)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A new executive leadership team was confirmed for Icelandic[R] USA, the operating company resulting from the July 1 merger of Saraband of Iceland and Icelandic[R] USA. Named Executive VP was Daniel Murphy; VP of purchasing is Jou Fridjonsson;...

Calendar 2005.
September 1, 2005... SEPTEMBER Sept. 27-28 Value-added Seafood 2005 Conference Regent's Park Holiday Inn London Contact Agra Conferences +44 (0) 1892 511807; fax +44 (0) 1892 527758 www.agra-net.com/VAS05 OCTOBER Oct. 5 2nd SEAFOODplus...

Sustainable seafood.(SHRIMP)
September 1, 2005... Brave New Seafood introduces Brave New Shrimp[TM], which is farm-raised in Arkansas in an environmentally friendly manner. The Pacific white shrimp are grown with no antibiotics, hormones, chemicals or additives. The large, 21/25- and...

Pub grub.(SHRIMP)
September 1, 2005... Icelandic[R] USA has added Redhook[R] ale-battered shrimp to its Razor Shrimp[R] ("on the cutting edge of taste") line. The company partnered with the Redhook[R] Brewing Co. to create an English-pub-style batter made with copper-colored...

Bar food takes twist.(APPETIZERS)
September 1, 2005... Phillips Foods introduces Crab Pretzels in 7- and 16-ounce sizes. Each soft pretzel is topped with a creamy blend of Phillips blue-swimming-crab claw meat, cream cheese, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, seafood seasoning and Tabasco[R] sauce....

Party time.(APPETIZERS)
September 1, 2005... Future Food's new Salads of the Sea party pack features three 12-ounce round containers of the brand's best sellers: Cajun Krab Dip, Seafood Cheese Spread and Cajun Smoked-Salmon-Flavored Spread. The Cajun Krab consists of 50 percent imitation...

Leslie Christon: president and CEO, Shells Seafood Restaurants.(One ON ONE)(Interview)
September 1, 2005... The foodservice industry has been part of Leslie Christon's life since her earliest college days at the Steak and Ale chain, where she worked her way into management over a nine-year period. Since that time, Christon has moved into the...