analysis by Nicki Holmyard - The major protein of the future - NPD activity across the board - Farmed salmon weathers storm - Trout sales increasing steadily Don't be fooled by the curious tendency of seafood to have a niche aura in an island nation surrounded by the stuff. It's on the way to becoming major protein number one. "Fish is predicted to be the major source of protein in the future and we are starting to see a steady growth in overall sales," says Jim Cane, group commercial director of Youngs Bluecrest. Seafood also has the health factor on its side. Research shows seafood is seen by consumers as a more healthy option than other proteins and this has helped increase penetration, says Tony Morgan, Seafish head of marketing. Suppliers meanwhile are driving every sector with new product development. Neil Jones, grocery trading director of Birds Eye Wall's, says its new premium quality frozen offering Simply Fish Fillets has commanded considerable loyalty from consumers. "Simply Fish has gained 8.2% household penetration since its launch and has appealed to the 70% of consumers who tolerate' fish because they know it is good for them." The company is also working hard to increase brand loyalty in the fish finger category, through interactive web-site activities and innovative TV/Cartoon Network advertising aimed at children. Birds Eye Wall's new Enjoy! range of ready meals and meal ingredients, includes an Atlantic salmon with spinach in the Sauce for Pasta range and a paella in the complete meal range. "These aim to completely change consumer perceptions of frozen food," says Jones. Youngs Bluecrest has agreements with trawlers and producers worldwide and is keen to introduce new species. Cane says: "One challenge is to reduce the UK consumer's reliance on cod and our new fish meal ideas should help to do just that," he says. Cane claims the November relaunch of the Young's brand has been well received, and launches this year will build on this. "We will introduce calamari, lemon sole, mussels, smoked salmon and trout products, and an ethnic range," he says. Faroe Seafood sees potential for innovation in the frozen sector. It has developed a 125g salmon roll in puff pastry, similar to a sausage roll. It has also seen a significant increase in sales of its frozen skinless, boneless, defatted, individually packed salmon portions, in all sectors of the market. Sco-Fro Foods is committed to developing quality products at its Glasgow technical centre. In shellfish, the company reports significant growth in chilled, with increased penetration for its So Special range of fish and shellfish dishes. Demand has also increased for fresh and frozen langoustines and for Sea Spray brand, breaded and battered whole-tail scampi products. Sco-Fro also has a significant share of the surimi market, having formed a strategic alliance with a surimi supplier in south east Asia. Its crab flavoured sticks, prawn-flavoured tails and crab flavoured flakes are packaged under both Sea Spray' and own label. The Seafood Company has benefited from a new £3.8m shellfish processing facility at Cromer in Norfolk. In addition to lines such as speciality dressed Cromer crabs and deluxe patés, the new plant prepares dishes featuring seafood sourced the world over by Anchor Seafoods, the frozen shellfish arm of the company. New ranges include lobster, fruit de mer platters, marinated octopus and a variety of shrimp and prawn products from environmentally aware producers. Dawnfresh has just relaunched its Breaded Mini Lobster under the Kintyre super premium label and plans to unveil a host of new products once its new £10m processing unit in Lanarkshire is operational. Gary Fisher of Dawnfresh says a considerable amount of npd has been undertaken while the company was operating from temporary premises. "It is testament to our staff that the company achieved Food Company of the Year' and Best New Retail Product' with Tesco Finest Scallop and Bacon Brochettes, while operating in difficult circumstances." According to David Gorman of Lyons Seafoods, Tiger King Prawns remain consistently popular with consumers and are unaffected by market trends. "They have been the biggest success story of the past decade, have achieved brand status and triggered a whole range of Tiger Prawn products," he says. Coldwater Seafood has established itself as a leading own label supplier in the UK, with an innovative npd approach. Its Blue Parrot Café Jumbo Fish Fingers for Sainsbury is an excellent example of how retailers can create excitement around own label products. Over the past year, supplies of Scottish farmed salmon have been plentiful, with processors reporting steady sales and a high level of consumer confidence in the product. Prices have been variable, with salmon farmers weathering the storms of ISA (Infectious Salmon Anaemia) and of allegations of contamination with PCBs and dioxins. However, the industry body Scottish Quality Salmon maintains such scares' among consumers are short lived and the issues raised have had a positive result, with salmon farmers being forced to pay closer attention to environmental and quality matters. One of the most exciting developments in Scottish fish farming in recent months is the amalgamation of Aquascot, the Orkney Salmon Company and Shetland Norse, under the common ownership of EWOS, the world's largest salmon feed manufacturer. The new group offers a wide range of fresh fish and value-added products incorporating salmon, organic salmon, seagrown trout and turbot. The new group is also leading the development of commercial cod farming, with active partnerships involving two UK retailers. Director Denis Overton says the company has plans to develop a range of Orkney and Shetland brands alongside its Loch Etive Trout, Mull of Kintyre Turbot and Organic Orkney Salmon, and ambitious plans to develop its farming operations. "We also act in Europe for another EWOS Group company, Mainstream Salmon of Chile, whose products include frozen fillets and portions for retail and foodservice sale," he says. Sales of trout have increased steadily, with prices remaining stable. According to Jim Gourley, MD of ScotTrout, trout has a positive image with the consumer and has not been affected by environmental or health issues. "Demand has been such that supplies have been stretched and for certain products, we have been forced to turn to suppliers in England," he says. ScotTrout has worked hard to inform customers and consumers about its rigid QA inspection regimes and to raise the profile of the product. Scottish Quality Trout has been running a Trout Truck' in supermarket carparks the length and breadth of the UK, with demonstrations proving popular. The company itself has recently achieved new business in Safeway, M&S and Sainsbury with a range of hot smoked trout fillets and sushi products and has seen business grow 30 % in two years. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}

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