Sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
Reminding customers about the sustainable and healthful attributes of seafood dishes are among the key strategies that operators use to promote their seafood menu items, according to a report from Nation’s Restaurant News and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
About a third of operators (32%) say “sustainable” was an effective call-out for driving sales of seafood dishes, and the same percentage cite “healthful” as an effective callout.
At a time when the social and environmental impacts of food production are top of mind among consumers, many operators have placed a high priority on sustainability. In fact, nine out of 10 operators say sustainability was at least somewhat important in their decision to menu seafood, including 42% who say sustainability is “very important” and 11% who say sustainability is “non-negotiable.”
When it comes to the health benefits of seafood, full-service operators are somewhat more likely than their limited-service counterparts to use the term “healthful” (33% vs. 28%, respectively). However, limited-service operators are more likely—14% vs. 11%—to use specific nutrient claims, such as “excellent source of omega-3.”
Another effective claim for seafood dishes is to call out the geographic origin of the seafood used in the dish. Thirty-two percent of survey respondents say geographic source cues, such as snow crab from Alaska, are effective at driving sales. “Wild-caught” is also an effective descriptor, as cited by 50% of operators in the NRN/ASMI survey.
In fact, wild-caught seafood from Alaska checks off many of the boxes that operators say drive sales of seafood dishes. It contains high levels of quality protein, healthy omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA), several essential vitamins, iron, and other minerals, such as selenium, potassium, zinc, and iodine.
When it comes to sustainability, seafood from Alaska sets a high bar for the industry: Alaska is the only state that has sustainability written directly into its constitution. The state employs a science-based approach to managing its fisheries that adapts to changes in the ecosystem. In addition, its fisheries also have high standards for social responsibility, and actively support the families and communities that form the backbone of the fishing industry in Alaska.
Getting the message to consumers
While operators often include seafood descriptors on their menus, they also train staff to mention them, according to the NRN/ASMI survey. Sixty-one percent of operators surveyed say they use key descriptions on a printed menu or menu board to promote the benefits and key attributes of their seafood menu items, and 52% train front-of-the-house staff to emphasize those qualities to customers as a sales-driving tool.
When it comes to digital marketing of seafood menu items—including video content posted on YouTube and TikTok—limited-service restaurants lead the way. Fifty-eight percent of these operators say they use digital channels to promote their seafood dishes, compared with 46% of full-service restaurants. Limited-service operators are also more likely to use in-store marketing materials such as table tents. Approximately half (49%) of limited-service operators say they use in-store marketing materials, compared with 36% of full-service operators and 37% of operators overall.
The research also found that independents and full-service restaurants are likely to include more specific descriptors of seafood species. Rather than use a generic “salmon” descriptor on the menu, for example, independent and full-service operators are more likely to call out a specific type of salmon, such as sockeye, to impart a dish with an aura of quality, the report says.
“Limited-service concepts could presumably stand to benefit from citing specific types of fish and seafood as well,” the report concludes. “In practice, most operators try to include details and descriptors on the menu when they have dishes starring seafood.”
Frozen seafood offers high quality
Most operators in the survey agree that frozen fish and seafood offer the exact same quality and taste as fresh seafood.
The report also found that operators see the potential benefits of incorporating more frozen seafood into their menus. Among the factors that operators say would motivate them to add more frozen fish and seafood to their menus, a need for more affordable options was the top response of operators surveyed, at 41%. Other needs that frozen seafood is seen solving for operators include a greater need for convenience, a need for consistent portions, and a need to reduce food waste, all cited by 34% of operators.
Twenty-seven percent of operators expressed interest in using frozen seafood options to meet demands for sustainability, while 26% say they would be interested in frozen items that were value-added.
“Frozen at sea, Alaska seafood is like eating fresh-caught,” says Chef Jamie Malone, in an interview posted on the ASMI Foodservice website.
For more tools, research, insights, and other content to help you promote wild-caught Alaska seafood on the menu, visit https://www.alaskaseafood.org/foodservice/