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**Seafood Is Having a Main Character Moment**

5h ago · 3 sources · trend

Seafood is not quietly swimming along. It is flexing.

Circana data shows 83% of seafood customers bought more or the same amount of fish compared to last year. Yet the category is concentrated. In the U.S., 10% of consumers drive 42% of seafood purchases. Heavy buyers rule the boat.

Gen Z is steering part of that growth. Sushi is now a $2.9 billion industry annually, with Gen Z buying twice as much sushi as the average U.S. household. Meanwhile, values are shaping the cart. 59% of seafood buyers say sustainability or certification matters. 57% are more likely to purchase seafood sourced from Alaska. Among sustainability-focused shoppers, the influence spikes. They are 73% more likely to be swayed by Alaska sourcing and 66% more likely to respond to the Alaska Seafood logo.

Brands and operators are moving. Safe Catch is expanding into frozen seafood with pollack nuggets and tuna burgers, bringing its mercury-testing standards into the freezer aisle. In foodservice, JJ Foodservice launched a Fish and Chips campaign ahead of National Fish and Chip Day on 5 June, complete with a new frozen seafood brochure and a £30 voucher for new customers. The company is also expanding, with a 28,000 sq ft site in Ipswich and a 33,000 sq ft branch in Nottingham, part of a plan that includes its first overseas facility in the Netherlands.

Why it matters: seafood is bifurcated. Power buyers and purpose buyers are driving growth. If you win trust and give younger shoppers formats they love, you are not just selling fish. You are building a loyal, high-frequency customer base in a category that is quietly heating up.

Key facts

  • Safe Catch is expanding into frozen seafood with pollack nuggets and tuna burgers, applying its proprietary mercury-testing standards to the new products.
  • JJ Foodservice has launched a Fish & Chips campaign ahead of National Fish & Chip Day on 5 June, positioning itself as a one-stop shop for fish and seafood.
  • JJ Foodservice’s campaign includes a new brochure of its frozen fish and seafood range and a £30-off voucher for new customers.
  • According to Circana research, 83% of seafood customers purchased more or the same amount of fish compared to last year.
  • In the U.S., 10% of consumers buy 42% of seafood, indicating high concentration among heavy buyers.
  • Sushi is one of the fastest growing seafood categories, representing a $2.9 billion industry annually, with Gen Z buying twice as much sushi as the average U.S. household.
  • Circana research found 59% of seafood buyers say sustainability or certification is important, and 57% are more likely to purchase seafood sourced from Alaska.
  • Seafood buyers concerned about sustainability are 73% more likely to be influenced by Alaska sourcing and 66% more likely to be influenced by the Alaska Seafood logo.
  • JJ Foodservice plans to expand with a 28,000 sq ft site in Ipswich and a 33,000 sq ft branch in Nottingham as part of a five-year strategy to launch eight new branches and its first overseas facility in the Netherlands.
  • £30
  • 83%
  • 10%
  • 42%
  • $2.9 billion
  • 59%
  • 57%
  • 73%

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