Mark Blyth, a professor of international economics at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, will deliver the keynote address at the 2024 Seafood Expo North America, taking place 10 to 12 March at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
The expo’s three-day conference program will include a slate of more than 30 educational sessions featuring seafood, foodservice, retail, environmental, and governmental experts in panels and presentations covering a number of topics relevant to the seafood industry, according to event organizer Diversified Communications. [Editor’s note: Diversified Communications also owns and operates SeafoodSource.]
Blyth will commence the program with a 2024 economic and political update on the North American seafood marketplace in his presentation, titled “Populist Politics, Inflation’s Return, and Why Trade is Back on the Menu: The Outlook for 2025 and Beyond.” The presentation will cover the U.S. election, inflation, and Blyth’s prediction for mounting trade tensions in the coming years, regardless of the outcome of the 2024 U.S. election.
This year’s Seafood Expo North America will also feature a robust conference program covering pressing industry topics, including consumer trends and insights, aquaculture and aquatech, social media, marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), labor issues and governance, sustainability, ESG, traceability, transparency and more.
Representatives from FMI, Publix Super Markets, Giant Eagle, and H&N Group will deliver a session titled “Power of Seafood 2024,” which will address evolving consumer demand for seafood and ways the industry is adapting to those changes.
Additionally, speakers from the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, H-E-B, and Riverence will discuss U.S. seafood consumer behavior trends. And representatives from Whole Foods Market, the Marine Stewardship Council, and Vital Choice Seafoods will explain their methods for effectively communicating sustainable practices to new and existing seafood shoppers.
“Sphere of Influence: How Social Media Influencers are Transforming Seafood Marketing” will feature seafood social media personalities Genevieve (Gigi) Ashworth, Emily De Sousa, and James Sibley to discuss how seafood companies can leverage social media to attract audiences.
“Sustainable Seaweed Making Waves in Restaurants Across the Country” will feature speakers from Luke’s Lobster, Searenity Seafoods, Atlantic Sea Farms, UMass Amherst, and North Coast Seafoods, exploring ways the foodservice sector can incorporate more seafood on restaurant menus.
The expo’s conference agenda also includes a session led by the U.S. Department of Labor titled “Casting A Wide Net – Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Promote Worker Rights in Fishing,” which will focus on strengthening collaboration between workers, the private sector, and the U.S. government to better ensure safe and healthy working conditions in the fishing industry.
The expo’s conference program will also dive into the future of aquaculture, AI and its use in the seafood industry, chefs’ and restaurateurs' stance on the use and purchase of frozen seafood, and the growing industry emphasis on value-added seafood.
Representatives from Bumble Bee, Costco Wholesale, the Seafood Industry Task Force, World Wildlife Fund, Mars Petcare, Thai Union, Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE), Acme Smoked Fish Corp, Minorities in Aquaculture, Bensboyz Premium Food, and more will be featured speakers at the event.
Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America is the largest seafood event in North America. In its 42nd edition, the expo's exhibit hall has already surpassed its previous edition, continuing the show's growth trajectory year over year, according to Diversified Communications.
