ASMI focusing on Europe, China, Japan and Brazil as key export markets for Alaskan seafood

To that end, ASMI has earmarked about half of its annual budget, some $8.5 million, on a cross section of activities ranging from international trade shows to studying traditional and emerging markets in some 17 countries, and educating wholesale and retail buyers about the value of its responsible fisheries management certification program for Alaska fisheries.

While Japan is still the single biggest direct market for wild Alaska seafood, ASMI is trying to balance the effort in Europe with effort in China and Japan and an emerging market in Brazil for a nice market mix, says Ray Ruitta, executive director of ASMI.

ASMI has also been meeting with major retail chains, non-government organizations and others to explain to them in detail how ASMI's choice of Global Trust as the certifying body for sustainability of Alaska seafoods works to assure the sustainably managed fisheries mandated by Alaska's constitution.

 “We have a good product to sell and I think we're doing a good job selling it,” said Jeff Stephan, director of the United Fishermen's Marketing Association in Kodiak, and chairman of ASMI's international marketing committee. “One of the great achievements of our program is we do a great evaluation of customs, traditions, consumption behavior, eating preferences, all the different characteristics of these countries, and to tailor our program to meet their needs.”

To reach that goal requires a lot of research, and good support from ASMI's overseas marketing representatives, who live and travel in these countries, and maintain steady communications with ASMI's staff in Alaska and Seattle.

Stephan gives much credit for the success of the international marketing program to the committee itself, whose membership includes sales and marketing representatives from various seafood processors doing business in Alaska. Much credit also goes to Joe Jacobson, international program director for ASMI, the ASMI board of directors, state agencies, and the importers, distributors and processors whom ASMI works with.

At the international marketing committee's meeting in Anchorage on June 27, the committee heard from several of their international representatives living in Japan, France and Brazil, who discussed events of the past few months, from trade shows and trade missions to advertising promotions and meetings with potential buyers.

“Every market, every country we are in has a different set of circumstances, different consumer preferences, different marketing and sales traditions, different consumption traditions, different economic factors, and we have programs that are very adroitly tailored to meet the needs of what our mission is in these countries,” Stephan said.

“All of these markets have distinct needs. We are trying to fit our product into the traditional buying habits and product usage. Our goal is to increase the value of Alaska seafood in these markets,” he said.