Using the financial surplus from last year’s Global Shrimp Forum, the GSFF will be funding a second research project into the effective promotion of shrimp consumption in the US and beyond.
The Global Shrimp Forum Foundation has announced its latest project, which will fund important research into the effective promotion of shrimp consumption in a number of territories, including the US.
Using the financial surplus from the 2023 Global Shrimp Forum event, the Foundation’s board has chosen to support a new research project following on from last year’s published report THE FUTURE IS IN HIGH DEMAND. The study, released in November 2023, provided a broad analysis of the potential for growing shrimp consumption in various markets. It also analysed the benefits of shrimp consumption and provided a broad outline of how a shrimp promotion campaign could be structured.
This year’s study aims to help us gain a greater understanding of consumer attitudes and behaviours regarding shrimp consumption. The research will mainly focus on the US market; however, the findings will be presented so they can be applied to other markets. The project will help to answer key questions concerning consumers’ attitudes and behaviours towards shrimp, including identifying a key target audience; investigating what specifically consumers are consuming; exploring the key times they are consuming, purchasing or in other ways interacting with shrimp; analysing locations and channels through which consumers prefer to purchase or consume shrimp, as well as crucially, the motivations behind these behaviours, and potential barriers to purchase.
The project will be carried out by the same consultant, Arnd Jan Gulmans, who will be supported by the consumer researcher Spheric Research. The research outcomes will be used as input for the development of the Global Shrimp Council’s first shrimp promotion marketing campaign.
Arnd Jan Gulmans, Independent Strategy Consultant, at AJ Gulmans says:
“I’m really excited to support the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation on the next step of its journey to help the industry to promote sustainable shrimp consumption. The research will help to deepen our understanding of consumer attitudes and behaviour towards shrimp consumption.”
The Global Shrimp Forum Foundation is an independent nonprofit organisation established by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, Shrimp Insights and Contango. The board consists of five dedicated members; Chris Ninnes, Chairman of the Board; Willem van der Pijl, Board Member and Managing Director; Esther Luiten, Board Member; Jørgen J. Lund, Board Member; and Johan Brouwer, Board Member. The Global Shrimp Forum Foundation is based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
The Foundation also sponsored the first Global Shrimp Council board and member meetings in Boston and Barcelona and will sponsor the upcoming board and members’ meeting in Utrecht, during the Global Shrimp Forum. The Global Shrimp Council project got started during a meeting of the world’s largest shrimp producers at the Global Shrimp Forum in September 2023, by David Castro and Gabriel Luna, who wanted to have an organisation promoting shrimp consumption globally. Miguel Barcenas, a seasoned marketing consultant, will be assisting the Global Shrimp Council in recruiting a marketing agency to assist in the execution of its first consumer campaign. The campaign aims to increase the consumption of shrimp in the US and other consumer markets.
David Castro, co-founder, Global Shrimp Council, says:
“This research will greatly support the Global Shrimp Council to accelerate the strategic design of its first marketing campaign in the US and other high-potential markets around the world. We are thankful to the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation for funding such important research efforts.”
The results of the research project will be published and presented by the end of 2024. The report will be available to the Global Shrimp Council, companies wanting to promote the consumption of shrimp, and the general public.
The Global Shrimp Council has over 40 members, and will be hosting a session on the first day of the Global Shrimp Forum. The session will aim to provide updates on the latest developments and encourage more companies and people to join the council and will end with a Q&A session.
The Global Shrimp Forum will take place in Utrecht, 3rd-5th September 2024. There are already more than 450 delegates due to attend from over 220 companies. Registration is still open.
