US EditionSeafood Industry Markets Meat-Like Fish Products to Boost U.S. Consumption
The $24 billion U.S. seafood market aims to grow by marketing fish products that resemble meat to attract younger and non-traditional consumers, with only 10% of buyers currently driving half of sales.
- At the Seafood Expo North America in Boston on March 17, 2026, companies showcased meat-like seafood innovations including tuna meatballs, salmon salami, and fried calamari snack sticks designed to broaden consumer appeal.
- The seafood industry faces a flat $24 billion market as Americans consume only about 19 pounds annually, far below the global average of 45 pounds, prompting companies to experiment with familiar formats.
- Harbor Bell Seafoods produces salmon strips designed to look like Slim Jim, while Tuna Fresh offers nuggets created to taste like fried chicken, and Balance Grow's Fried Calamari Snack tastes like Cheetos.
- Expana market analyst Joshua Bickert suggests the most likely audience is younger consumers, noting that packaging fish like chicken tenders could shift eating habits at a younger age.
- However, FMI market analyst Steve Markenson warns these formats may fail to convert the roughly 40% of Americans who avoid seafood, while dedicated shoppers representing 10% prefer natural fish.
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Los Angeles Times
The Seattle TimesThe seafood industry bets Americans will eat more fish if it looks more like meat
Will Americans finally eat more seafood if it looks more like meat
Associated Press News
The seafood industry bets Americans will finally eat more fish if it looks more like meat
Will Americans finally eat more seafood if it looks more like meat? At the recent Seafood Expo North America in Boston, many products resembled salami, meatballs, fried chicken and more.
The trends and taste of consumers set the tone in the food industry. Aware of this, companies seek to transform and position themselves, like the seafood sector, which today aims at creating new products to attract American consumers. With a wide variety ranging from tuna nuggets and shrimp burgers, to marine salami and much more, the industry seeks to offer family alternatives for those who tend to avoid fish consumption. This strategy is based…
From tuna to tenders: Seafood’s identity crisis is hitting the US
The future of fish is looking a lot like … salami? And meatballs. And fried chicken. And breakfast sausage. And, of course, spare ribs and burgers. This is America, after all. Welcome to the era of surreptitious seafood, where the industry is betting it can win over Americans by making fish look and taste less like, well, fish. “Our Taiwanese magic is making tuna taste like fried chicken,” says Jack Chi, a spokesperson for Tuna Fresh, a Taiwan-b…
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