SAN ANTONIO — Through Oct. 31, year-to-date fresh seafood sales were up 5.1% from the same period a year ago, exceeding $6 billion, according to a recent analysis from 210 Analytics and IRI.
However, unit sales fell .7% and volume sales fell 1.1% during the same period.
Fresh seafood recorded the best dollar, unit and volume performance in the seafood category during the period, outperforming frozen and ambient (canned and pouches). But all seafood categories, according to the report.
“The year-to-date view masks the tremendous comeback for all three areas within seafood over the past few months. The quarterly view shows a recovery in sales since March, when the performance had to go up against the panic-buying weeks of 2020. In October 2021, sales of shelf-stable and frozen seafood have recovered to 2020 levels and fresh is only slightly behind, at -0.5%.”
For the fourth quarter, according to 210 and IRI, it is likely that all three areas will start to trend further ahead — provided supply chain woes do not challenge in-stock positions further.