Surimi supplier TransOcean saw its sales jump by 10.2 percent last year -- nearly double the 5.6 percent growth IRI data recorded for the $94 million US surimi indsutry, TransOcean Vice Presdient of Sales and Marketing Lou Shaheen told IntraFish.
That upward revenue trend may continue, but not for the reasons that producers like TransOcean would hope. Wholesale prices for surimi blocks are up 20 percent to 25 percent this year over last, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers Program Director Pat Shanahan told IntraFish. European processors told a similar story to IntraFish in February.
“It will increase our costs by about half that,” Shaheen said. Surimi blocks make up about half of the end product, he explained. “So it’s a significant increase to any company, but we’ve seen larger increases than that in the past few years.” Shaheen said TransOcean, a subsidiary of global giant Maruha Nichiro, will try not to pass on costs to consumers.
“We will look at other avenues to reduce our costs so that we don’t have to pass them along,” he said. Contracts with retailers may make it difficult to pass on costs, he added.
Yet markets outside the United States could be willing to absorb higher prices, considering the high global demand for the surimi.
“The increased demand is due to a number of factors, including the tsunami last year in Japan, which destroyed some surimi inventory, and the lack of lower cost tropical surimi on the global market,” Shanahan said.
Southeast Asian fishermen who catch species used in surimi may not be fishing due to the high cost of fuel, she said.
“There is also growing demand for surimi seafood products in Europe and in developing markets such as India and China. In addition, large surimi producers and exporters, -- Thailand is a good example – are starting to consume an increasing share of their own production in the domestic market.”
However, whether Alaska surimi producers decide to tap into the higher demand for surimi is yet to be seen, considering pollock is also in high demand in fillet form, Shanahan said. Last year, pollock producers responded to a higher global demand by producing more surimi.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam has strengthened its position in China’s massive seafood market, becoming the largest lobster supplier while maintaining a dominant share of the country’s imported pangasius.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026 was more than just a larger exhibition space. Through B2B meetings, booth discussions, production-chain visits and post-show feedback, businesses and buyers found something more concrete: suitable suppliers, processing capabilities, technology solutions, new markets and a foundation for building long-term trust and partnerships.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States declined significantly in the first seven months of 2026. Cumulative export value reached US$18 million, down 42% from the same period in 2025. In July alone, exports amounted to just US$2 million, plunging 70%, indicating a clear slowdown in import demand from the US market.
(vasep.com.vn) At the seminar “Global Seafood Markets and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities and Directions for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Fisheries Sector,” held as part of VIETFISH 2026, Ms. Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy, Fisheries Officer (Markets) and GLOBEFISH Coordinator at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), presented initiatives aimed at promoting youth participation in fisheries and aquaculture.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the United States reached US$189 million, down 8% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached US$22 million, down 28%. This trend indicates that U.S. demand for pangasius imports has remained relatively cautious this year, as importers tend to maintain moderate inventory levels and limit stockpiling.
(vasep.com.vn) After three days at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam International Fisheries Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 – has successfully concluded, leaving a strong impression in terms of scale, visitor numbers, the quality of business connections, and innovative activities. With more than 14,000 m² of exhibition space, 335 companies, 568 booths, participation from representatives of 17 countries and territories, and nearly 15,000 visitors, VIETFISH 2026 has once again affirmed its role as an important meeting point for Vietnam’s and the global seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Held as part of Vietfish 2026 from August 19–21 at SECC in Ho Chi Minh City, a series of five specialized seminars provided the seafood business community with updates on markets, technology, standards, human resources and cooperation opportunities. With the participation of experts, international organizations, government agencies and businesses from Vietnam and abroad, the seminars created an additional platform for professional exchange alongside the exhibition’s product showcases and business networking activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 officially opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. With 568 booths representing 335 companies, alongside the presence of senior government officials, local authorities, diplomatic missions and international partners, VIETFISH 2026 kicks off three days of business networking, technology exchange and market engagement under the overarching theme “Innovation and Sustainability.”
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) officially announces that the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports recorded strong growth in the first half of 2026, but the performance was increasingly uneven across products, markets and enterprises. VASEP’s newly released premium report provides the detailed data and analysis needed to understand what lies behind the headline figures and prepare for the more challenging months ahead.
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