Top 25: Seafood Product Innovation

SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co. | SeaPak On-the-Go Shrimp

St. Simons Island, Georgia-based supplier SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co. has released an impressive array of new products over the course of 2018 and 2019. 

In February 2018, the company rolled out its healthier SeaPak Selections line in Kroger and Meijer supermarkets nationwide. Later that month, SeaPak – in an effort to drive more millennials to the frozen seafood category – unveiled a new packaging design and logo, and added a BuzzFeed Tasty logo to the package of its Shrimp Scampi product.

Later on, in March 2018, the company ventured further into the healthy, convenient, “anytime” meal category with its new frozen microwaveable seafood soups – SeaPak Selections Shrimp Wonton Soup and SeaPak Selections Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup. October of that same year saw SeaPak introduce its On-the-Go Shrimp, which includes shrimp and a dipping sauce. During the holiday season, in December 2018, SeaPak’s Parmesan Shrimp and Spinach Bites appetizer also emerged.

In 2019, the supplier continued with more launches: SeaPak partnered with Anheuser-Busch-owned brewing company Budweiser to bring a new line of sustainable seafood products to the market in March. Among the first initiates into the range were SeaPak Budweiser Beer Battered Shrimp, SeaPak Budweiser Beer Battered Cod, and SeaPak Budweiser Beer Battered Crab Poppers. 

One of the company’s most recent frozen offerings, SeaPak Calamari, was launched in July 2019. The product, a “hassle-free appetizer or high-protein snack,” comes with tomato romano sauce and is included in the frozen aisles of several major retailers including Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway, and Tops stores.  

Here’s what Kristen Beadon, director of marketing for SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co., had to share with SeafoodSource about the company’s innovation process for the stable of new offerings launched over the past year-plus.

What kind of trends have informed SeaPak’s latest product innovations?

Growing awareness for international tastes and flavors is influencing seafood shoppers to become more adventurous in their seafood selections. We’re also seeing a much stronger consumer preference for brands that have an authentic sourcing and sustainability story to tell, and we certainly have one of those stories. Seafood is also gaining ground as a leading protein on restaurant menus, which, in turn, is fueling consumer desire for restaurant-inspired, make-at-home seafood options.

Which products have you seen really resonate in 2018/2019?

Our top sellers include our Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp, Shrimp Scampi, and Popcorn Shrimp, which speak to the continued growth in consumer demand for convenient, everyday seafood options that help make mealtime easier than ever before.   

Thanks to calamari’s sustained popularity on restaurant menus across the country, SeaPak’s New Calamari has significant national retailer appeal. Overall, this product is the perfectly prepared, bite-sized appetizer for stress-free seafood enjoyment and entertaining.

SeaPak is the only brand currently filling the white space in the seafood market for protein snacks. In fact, SeaPak’s On-the-Go Shrimp Cocktail is the first of its kind in the industry. Already, the product has been receiving high praise from consumers for its ready-to-eat, high protein, enjoy-anytime attributes. 

What key features serve to set SeaPak’s new products apart in the market? 

With consumer tastes and preferences evolving, SeaPak has remained committed to staying ahead of the curve in new product development and responsible sourcing while also maintaining industry-leading taste preference among consumers.

Photo courtesy of SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co.