Global seafood market issues including roe and surimi will be up for discussion when the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) holds its sixth annual meeting at the W Hotel Seattle in Seattle on Sept. 26.
Speakers from major global surimi manufacturers, as well as food and menu innovation professionals, are on the agenda to discuss the state of global markets for wild Alaska pollock surimi and roe, to challenge attendees to think differently about the future for these products.
“It’s no secret that the surimi and roe markets have been challenged in recent years,” GAPP Chief Executive Officer Craig Morris said.
With conditions continuing to evolve globally and this year’s meeting theme centered around harvesting opportunity, Morris said this is the time to bring industry leaders and outside experts together to jumpstart discussions on how to take surimi and roe markets from surviving to thriving.
Yaiza Donaire of the multinational food company Angulas Aguinaga is slated to discuss how the market for surimi in Spain has continued to evolve and how Angulas Aguinaga has “gone back to basics,” applying traditional Japanese technique and innovation to their production and marketing these Japanese-style products to the Spanish consumer to increased success.
Speakers from Maruha Capital Investment, Nissui and Trident Japan, are scheduled to address trends in the Japanese market and how they impact markets for wild Alaska pollock, including devaluation of the Yen, the influx of Russian imports of surimi and Japanese dietary changes.
Later in the day, Chef Bret Lynch of Culinex, a Seattle-based food technology and innovation firm, is expected to share the results of a two-year project with GAPP focused on developing new trends, products and menu ideations for Wild Alaska Pollock roe.
Attendees are also expected to be able to sample some of the test products during conference breaks.
Registration for those wishing to attend in person or virtually is available at www.alaskapollock.org.