When it comes to seafood, a few contenders come to mind: Norwegian salmon, Japanese tuna, and Siberian sturgeon. Yet, amongst them, Scottish seafood has emerged as a strong candidate, offering an abundant array of seafood for consumers, while also enabling a stable sustainable framework.
By Agatha Wong
Brimming with more than 60 species of commercial seafood, ranging from whitefish, to shellfish and pelagic, the Scottish coastline offers 18,000km of fresh, farmed, and frozen produce. It is home to the union of the warm gulfstream and the cold North Atlantic waters, where 2,000 fishing vessels land 540,000 tones of fish per year. Of its wide array of seafood products, the Scottish salmon is noted as the best-tasting, offering consumers a rich source of omega-3. As seafood constitutes Scotland’s largest export, the country’s unique geographical location and rich industry have positioned them well to meet the growing consumer demand for seafood.
According to Research and Markets’ Global Seafood Market Report, the global market for seafood is projected to reach a size of US$138.7 billion by 2027, at a CAGR growth of 2.9% between the years 2020-2027. Part of this growth could be accounted to the COVID-19 pandemic: as consumers are looking towards healthier options that can supplement their immune system, seafood has presented itself as a choice protein besides animal poultry. This is attributed to consumer belief in the health benefits of seafood, which offer a host of immune-boosting fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants.
“We have been observing a rising consciousness in healthier diets among consumers in general, but most certainly in Singapore and in the South East Asia region,” noted Natalie Bell, head of trade marketing Asia, Europe and Middle East at Seafood Scotland. “We are seeing that consumers are eager and interested in broaching foods and produce all over the world that are backed with consistent quality, taste and provenance. This means that there is more expectation for not just conveniently accessed foods, but for quality produce that can promise factors such as a sustainably-sourced provenance, with unique taste profiles.”
Moreover, continued Bell, these changes in taste and preferences have also lent to a rise in experimental dining, be it at home or in restaurants. South East Asia, in particular, is swiftly becoming a mature market for novel experiences that elevate food and beverage to the next level. In this regard, there is potential for the aquaculture and pisciculture industry to develop and rise up to meet these demands.
The full article is available in the latest edition of Food & Beverage Asia August/September 2022 issue. To continue reading, click here.
