Top Species
Asian domination
2012 U.S. blue-swimming crab imports, in millions of pounds
20
15
Source: NOAA Fisheries Service
10
5
0
Indonesia
China
Vietnam
Crab continues to compete well against other
seafood proteins, she says,
ranking in the Top 10 highest consumed seafood products while being the most
expensive species on the
list. In 2011, crab ranked
No. 8 on the list, with U.S.
per-capita consumption at
Philippines
Thailand
0.518 pounds.
On the menu
Steve LaHaie, partner at
Shaw's Crab House with
restaurants in Chicago and
Schaumburg, Ill., ofers
crab on his menu in several
diferent forms.
Fortunately, he says,
prices for two of his most
popular oferings — red
and golden king crabs —
have come down and he has
been able to pass along those
savings to his customers.
In 2012, an 18-ounce portion of red king crab cost
$65.99 — this year it is $63
for 20 ounces. Te price adjustment has resulted in red
king sales equaling those of
golden, which is $49 for 18
ounces. "Last year we sold 2
to 1, golden to red; this year
it's 1 to 1.
"We also have king crab
bites on the menu, and the
price has come down on
those," adds LaHaie.
Shaw's uses domestic blue
crabs from Louisiana in its
crab cakes, employing a combination of backfn, claw and
lump meat. Tis time of year
it's all fresh, says LaHaie, but
Shaw's uses frozen domestic
blue in the winter. "We pay a
premium (over imported), but
we think it's worth it," he says.
Mark Palicki, VP-marketing at Fortune Fish Co.
in Bensenville, Ill., says
it has been hard to fnd a
good supply of U.S. blue
crab. Fortune buys from
Pontchartrain Blue Crab in
Louisiana, but notes there
have been times when availability is poor. He says it is
mostly high-end chefs who
are looking for the domestic
product.
Shaw's also carries softshell crabs from Maryland.
Te supply has been adequate, although prices are
high, LaHaie says. As a result, Shaw's is ofering two
jumbos per entrée instead
of three to keep the price
level. "We started with crabs
from South Carolina, but
prefer Maryland," he says.
"Tose (soft shells) are moving nicely now," and will sell
through September.
Palicki says softshell
crabs from Maryland and
Virginia were in short
Q: What shellfish was named the "King of Crustaceans" in
bon appétit magazine's 'Top 25 Food Trends for 2013'?
A: Dungeness Crab.
sorry lobster...
Every state should have a crustacean – we'd like to introduce
you to ours... www.oregondungeness.org
22 SeaFood Business
July 2013
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