20 shrimp producers take steps to form a global shrimp council

An international cohort of shrimp-farming companies took a formal step to create a global shrimp council dedicated to promoting shrimp consumption around the world at the second annual Global Shrimp Forum in Utrecht, the Netherlands, on 6 September.

More than 20 shrimp producers from Ecuador, Mexico, India, Vietnam and Indonesia met to discuss the formation of the promotional group, an effort being led by Glunashrimp Owner Gabriel Luna and Manta Bay CEO David Castro. Aquaculture Stewardship Council CEO and Global Shrimp Forum Foundation Chair Chris Ninnes facilitated the meeting.

“The Global Shrimp Council is an initiative with the intention to harmonize the interests of participants in this significant industry through a systemic vision. One of these interests is to introduce the global consumer to the benefits of consuming the finest sustainably produced protein sources, such as shrimp,” Castro said. “Shrimp is a flavorful, healthy, and nutritious protein, that is accessible, easy to prepare, has low carbon emissions in production and uses minimal consumption of freshwater. I am greatly looking forward to seeing the outcome of our discussions and where this could take the industry.”

The idea of a global shrimp council emerged in August 2023 at the 2023 Shrimp Summit in Vietnam. Allan Cooper, the business and value creation director at Vitapro, a South America-based feed producer, said the industry needed to “make the people that eat shrimp eat more” and “incentivize newcomers to try shrimp” by launching a unified global marketing campaign, Cooper said.

“We're looking at cycles that come back and forth. And some people say producing shrimp, being a part of the shrimp industry, is like riding a roller coaster, in a really, really uncertain environment," Cooper said. "But how can we prevent the cycle?” 

The industry needs to “make the people that eat shrimp eat more” and “incentivize newcomers to try shrimp” by launching a unified global marketing campaign, Cooper said.

At the event, Sandro Coglitore, the general manager of Ecuadorian shrimp producer Omarsa, backed the idea.

“I think in Ecuador, most of the exporters and farmers are ready to engage into a unified campaign, not only to promote Ecuadorian shrimp but shrimp worldwide and expand the demand,” Coglitore said. 

The Global Shrimp Forum Foundation said it plans to host a follow-up meeting later in 2023 with the aim of establishing the promotional council in 2024. It said in a press release that attendees of the discussion session agreed on the need to establish a producer-led promotional body to market and encourage shrimp consumption globally.

“Whilst the U.S.A. is an important market, it should not be the only focus and the council should have a truly global influence,” the foundation said.

A proposal that the council be housed within the National Fisheries Institute, the trade group representing the U.S. seafood industry, is being considered by the group, as are proposals regarding governance and financing.

NFI Chief Strategy Officer Gavin Gibbons said his organization is open to the idea of playing host to the council.

"Organizing, focusing, and funding a council is a lot of work but there are many benefits to precompetitive collaboration," Gibbons said. "If you look at a cross section of the councils NFI has worked with or already works with you’ll find a variety of concentrations. Some have sustainability at their core, others food safety and quality, and then of course there’s promotion and marketing.  As the work begins to coordinate stakeholders for this effort, it’s certainly an idea we are interested in."

Photo courtesy of Gabriel Luna