GAPP Reports Significant Increase in U.S. Consumption of Wild Alaska Pollock in 2019

SEATTLE, Wash.— Americans are eating more pollock, and more of it is domestically caught and produced Wild Alaska Pollock. A new, comprehensive analysis of U.S. markets conducted by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) paints a very healthy picture of the domestic Wild Alaska Pollock market—one that recovered from several years of decline, with American consumers valuing the domestically caught and produced Wild Alaska Pollock over foreign imports.

“Simply put, in one year’s time the industry has erased the entire decline in U.S. Wild Alaska Pollock fillet consumption it experienced from 2012 to 2018,” said Craig Morris, GAPP Chief Executive Officer. “Clearly, the investment the industry has made to build awareness and a common brand around Wild Alaska Pollock in the U.S. market is paying significant dividends.”

GAPP’s report shows that collectively, this record domestic demand coupled with increased imports have caused U.S. per capita consumption of Pollock (both domestic Wild Alaska Pollock and imported Pollock) to jump by 38 percent to 0.988 lbs./person in 2019, a level not seen since 2016.

While total pollock consumption grew, most significant is the increase in consumption of domestically produced Wild Alaska Pollock. 59 percent of all pollock consumed by Americans is U.S. caught and produced Wild Alaska Pollock. This is an all-time record, compared to all data collected since 2006. GAPP’s report indicates a few factors in this increase, including an increase in domestically produced pollock fillets (195,000 mt total, an increase of 15,000 mt from 2018) and a decrease in exports.

“I think this news further reflects the industry’s commitment to partnering with our downstream customers to invest in innovation and put Wild Alaska Pollock in front of more consumers in more ways every single day,” said Morris. “Now is the time to double-down and work to make Wild Alaska Pollock a household name in our own backyard.”

In the next year, GAPP will work to utilize its recently released toolkits to further increase domestic consumer’s familiarity with Wild Alaska Pollock and will continue to invest in its North American Partnership Program which brings Wild Alaska Pollock in all its forms—including fillet and surimi—to market in new channels or associated with influencers. GAPP’s report also indicates a growing interest in surimi seafood in the U.S., showing a higher percentage of U.S. produced surimi remaining in U.S. markets. Overall U.S. consumption of surimi increased by almost 4,000 mt even while U.S. production decreased by 7,000 mt.

The GAPP Board of Directors will approve the full strategic plan including deliverables against both of these initiatives at its meeting on March 26, 2020.

For more information about this economic analysis or to sign up for GAPP’s monthly Market Update, contact [email protected].