Reinvigorating the roe and sustaining the global surimi market will be the focus of the sixth annual meeting of the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP), set for Sept. 26 at the W Hotel in Seattle. Both markets have been challenged in recent years.
With market conditions continuing to evolve globally and this year’s meeting theme centered on harvest opportunity, this is the time to jump start discussions on how to take roe and surimi markets from surviving to thriving, GAPP CEO Craig Morris said.
Angel Rubio of market information publisher Urner Barry is scheduled to address the topic of global surimi supply and demand during the meeting.
Rubio and GAPP’s Ron Rogness will compile the quarterly GAPP surimi supply tracker data, the first of its kind report for GAPP members, tracking the evolving wild Alaska pollock and competitor species surimi markets.
GAPP officials said Rubio would also be joined on stage by Yaiza Donaire of multi-national food company Angulas Aguinaga to discuss how the market for surimi in Spain has recently gone back to basics, applying traditional Japanese techniques and innovation to their production and marketing these Japanese style products to the Spanish consumer.
Other scheduled speakers include Chef Bret Lynch of Culinex, a Seattle-based food technology and innovation firm, who will share results of a project with GAPP focused on developing new trends, products and menu ideations for wild Alaska pollock roe.
Morris said that roe has long been a priority for GAPP and that it’s looking for new opportunities for roe outside of the traditional Japanese preparations and uses.
“With the global export of tastes and flavors, we’ve worked with Culinex to identify some sensational new products that can be launched here in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere that use roe and its distinct flavor profile differently,” he commented.