The retail seafood category looks stable on the surface. Overall seafood dollar sales grew 2.6% in 2025,1 and unit growth is positive. But look closer at the data tells a story that every retail deli buyer should be paying close attention to heading into IDDBA 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Just 10% of shoppers account for 40% of all retail seafood purchases, according to FMI’s Power of Seafood 2026.
- Frequent seafood shoppers create baskets twice as large when buying seafood and have higher household incomes than occasional buyers.
- Cold grab-and-go formats (cocktail shrimp, cooked salmon, tuna poke) are high-opportunity, low-complexity additions to any deli seafood set.
- 28% of grocery shoppers now use deli-prepared foods as a restaurant substitute, up from just 12% in 2017.
- FDA’s updated “healthy” label rule is now in effect, but most retailers haven’t activated it at the seafood case yet.
The Number That Should Change How You Think About Your Seafood Department
According to FMI’s Power of Seafood 2026, just 10% of shoppers account for 40% of all seafood purchases.1
These frequent buyers eat seafood at least twice a week, create baskets twice as large when purchasing seafood, are more likely to shop online, and have above-average household incomes.1 The category is riding on a narrow, highly valuable base. Retail buyers who invest in keeping and growing that base win. Those who don’t are exposed.
The good news: the opportunities to act are specific. Cold grab-and-go convenience formats, family meal solutions, GLP-1 positioning, and a new FDA label change most retailers haven’t used yet. BSF is bringing all of them to IDDBA 2026 in Orlando.
Four Data-Backed Trends Retail Deli Buyers Need to Know Before IDDBA 2026
Grab-and-Go Cold Seafood: The Convenience Format Retail Deli Buyers Are Underusing
Cold but fully cooked, ready-to-eat seafood formats are one of the highest-opportunity segments in retail deli. Cocktail shrimp, surimi cocktail, cooked salmon, and tuna poke all deliver the convenience and protein story today’s shoppers are looking for, with no prep complexity for the buyer or the shopper.
At IDDBA 2026, BSF is showcasing a tuna ceviche concept that demonstrates what a grab-and-go cold seafood program can look like when it’s built around flavor, freshness, and easy deli execution.
The Deli Case as a Family Meal Destination and the Formats That Make It Work
The deli’s role in the family dinner routine has shifted dramatically. According to IDDBA research, 28% of shoppers now buy deli-prepared foods as a restaurant substitute, up from just 12% in 2017.2 Today’s shopper wants a complete, convenient meal solution, not a single protein they still have to build a dinner around.
At IDDBA 2026, BSF is showcasing two formats built on exactly that premise: a take-and-cook family meal solution from the cold case, and a breaded seafood trio meal deal designed to bundle with existing deli sides. Both are built to sell on convenience and value, removing the friction that keeps seafood out of the weekly routine.
GLP-1 Shoppers and How the Seafood Case Serves Them
GLP-1 medication users now represent 23% of U.S. households3 and are projected to account for 35% of all food and beverage units sold by 2030.3 These shoppers outspend non-users at grocery stores because they are actively seeking high-protein, minimally processed, nutrient-dense options.
The retail seafood case is a natural destination for this shopper. The opportunity for deli buyers is in the merchandising, signage, and making the protein and nutrient story clear.
The FDA “Healthy” Label Change: A Signage and Merchandising Opportunity
In early 2025, FDA’s updated definition of “healthy” went into effect.4 Under the new rule, most seafood (including higher-fat fish like salmon) automatically qualifies for the “healthy” claim without added ingredients, based on nutrient profile alone. Full compliance isn’t required until February 2028,4 which means most retailers haven’t activated this yet.
Combined with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommendation to eat at least eight ounces of seafood per week,5 buyers now have a credible, federally backed message ready to deploy on shelf tags, case signage, and packaging. It’s an edge that’s sitting unused for most deli seafood programs.
What Retail Buyers Should Be Looking for at IDDBA 2026
As you walk the floor, bring these questions to every seafood supplier conversation:
- Species performance: Salmon dominates fresh/refrigerated seafood with $4.1 billion in 2025 sales and a 47.4% category share.6 Ask suppliers what’s moving beyond salmon, and what sell-through data backs it up.
- Value-added formats: Cold-case take-and-cook family meals, breaded meal deal formats paired with deli sides, and cooked RTE items like cocktail shrimp and cooked salmon. Look for formats that reduce waste and labor, not just add SKUs.
- Packaging: Modified atmosphere, extended shelf life, sustainable materials. Packaging that builds shopper confidence at the case is part of the product.
- Sourcing transparency: Frequent seafood shoppers are more likely to buy wild-caught and to prioritize sustainability. Ask what certifications, traceability tools, and origin storytelling a supplier can support.
Let’s Connect in Orlando at IDDBA 2026
Retail seafood is at an inflection point. BSF brings retail buyers the sourcing depth, format flexibility, and program support to make that growth real. Find us at Booth #1244 at IDDBA 2026.
1. FMI—The Food Industry Association. Power of Seafood 2026. fmi.org.
2. IDDBA industry data, reported by Grocery Dive, 2025.
3. Circana GLP-1 consumer research, reported by Meat+Poultry, January 2026.
4. S. Food and Drug Administration. Updated definition of “healthy” nutrient content claim.
5. Effective January 2025; full compliance date February 2028. fda.gov.
6. USDA/HHS. 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. dietaryguidelines.gov.
7. Circana Integrated Fresh retail sales data, reported by The National Provisioner, February 2026.
