Shrimp consumption in the U.S. will be the subject of a new Global Shrimp Forum Foundation (GSFF) research project.
Ahead of the 2024 Global Shrimp Forum – taking place in Utrecht, the Netherlands, from 3 to 5 September – the GSSF has shared details of the second project it is funding, using the financial surplus last year’s conference hauled in.
According to the foundation, this latest study, which will be compiled by consultant Arnd Jan Gulmans, with support from London, England-based research services firm Spheric Research, will aim to gain greater understanding of consumer attitudes and behaviors regarding shrimp consumption in the U.S.
The project will help to identify key target audiences for shrimp; investigate what types of shrimp products consumers favor; and explore key times they are consuming, purchasing, or in other ways interacting with shrimp. It will also analyze locations and channels through which consumers prefer to purchase or consume shrimp, as well as the motivations behind these behaviors and potential barriers to purchase.
While the research will mainly focus on the U.S. market, the findings will be presented so they can be applied to other markets, GSFF said, adding that the research will be published and presented by the end of 2024.
Global Shrimp Council Co-Founder David Castro welcomed GSFF’s funding of the research, which he said will “greatly support” the council’s efforts and accelerate the “strategic design” of its first marketing campaign in the U.S., as well as other high-potential markets around the world.
The Global Shrimp Council currently has over 40 members and will be hosting a session at this year’s Global Shrimp Forum, updating attendees on its latest developments and encouraging more companies and people to join.
Utrecht-headquartered GSFF was established by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), shrimp industry blog Shrimp Insights, and seafood industry advisory firm Contango. Its board consists of five members: Chris Ninnes, who is the chairman; Willem van der Pijl, who is the managing director and runs Shrimp Insights; Jørgen J. Lund, who is the owner and operator of Contango; Esther Luiten, who is the commercial director of the ASC; and Johan Brouwer, who is the international business development director at Veramaris.
The announced research follows on the heels of the GSFF’s first research project, titled “The Future is in High Demand.” That study gave broad analysis of the potential for growing shrimp consumption in various markets. It also analyzed the benefits of shrimp consumption and provided a broad outline of an effective shrimp promotion campaign.
