US foodservice seafood consumption was flat in 2022, but finfish was surprise winner

Seafood sales through foodservice were essentially flat in 2022, Performance Food Group Vice President of Procurement Mike Seidel said at the National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Markets Conference’s shrimp panel on Tuesday, 17 January in La Quinta, California, U.S.A.

But finfish was a big winner, with total sales increasing 9.1 percent by value for the 12 months ending in November 2022, Seidel said, citing data collected by his company. That made up for a decline in crustacean sales, led by a drop in crab and squid sales, though shrimp sales rose 1.5 percent year-over-year. Groundfish sales were up 1.8 percent, while flatfish sales declined 11.9 percent, Freshwater fish sales were down 2.1 percent and canned tuna sales dropped 10.2 percent.

“We're all trying to figure out what kind of happened to shrimp and seafood,” Seidel said. “I'm not sure. I mean, it's kind of crazy." 

The average per-pound price of shrimp rose to ... 

Photo courtesy of National Fisheries Institute