2019 Seafood Expo North America brought over 22,150 industry professionals to Boston

Last month, more than 22,150 seafood industry professionals from around the world arrived in Boston, Massachusetts for the 2019 edition of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, event organizer Diversified Communications revealed on 8 April. 

With 1,329 exhibitors from 49 countries, this year’s expo – the largest of its kind in North America – covered 256,690 net square feet of exhibit space, Diversified confirmed. The atmosphere for SENA19 was lively and productive, with 600 key buyers perusing the show floor and conducting deals with suppliers, according to Wynter Courmont, event director for Diversified.

“The exhibitors and industry professionals at this year’s event were noticeably energized,” Courmont said in a press release. “There was no shortage of excitement around individual companies’ innovative products, preparation and packaging concepts; and we also saw a lot of enthusiasm for industry-wide initiatives around sustainable sourcing, aquaculture and more.”

For Moises del Rio, general manager of Verlasso Salmon, the time spent in Boston for SENA19 served to reinforce and amplify his company’s promotional and networking success.

“Verlasso has always been involved in the event, as it’s one of the main platforms in this industry where we can tell our story to a broader audience,” he said. “From the very inception of Verlasso, Seafood Expo North America has allowed us to build relationships that today, 8 years later, still remain very strong.”

The chief supply chain officer for U.S. restaurant chain Captain D’s, who brought a team of key buyers to the expo, remarked on the convenience and efficiencies the Boston-based event offers. 

“We have meetings planned well before the expo so we can use our time efficiently,” commented the chief supply chain officer of U.S. restaurant chain Captain D’s, who brought a team of key buyers to the event. The buyer added that the Captain D’s team also visits the expo to hear about the latest trends and forecasts, including those surrounding sustainable seafood, and to participate in the larger discussions taking place among the industry. 

SENA19 saw two new products take home top honors in the annual Seafood Excellence Awards: St. James Smokehouse’s Saint Pure Salmon won Best New Retail Product this year, while East Coast Seafood earned the Best New Foodservice Product title for its Lobster Macaroni & Cheese Bites. The products were chosen by a panel of judges who evaluated them on their taste profile, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value, and originality.

And the winning didn’t stop there. On the second day of the expo, Dan Coll of Union Oyster House beat out 19 other competitors to earn the title of “Fastest Shucker in the East,” during the annual oyster-shucking competition. Coll and the other contestants shucked both Atlantic and Pacific oysters, and were judged on their speed and quality.

The expo’s three-day educational conference program saw ample engagement and success in 2019, Diversified said, as did the event’s numerous social events and networking opportunities. [Editor’s note: Diversified Communications also owns and operates SeafoodSource.]

In 2020, Seafood Expo North America will be held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center from 15 to 17 March.