JUNEAU, AK (May 16, 2005) - Business was brisk in the Alaska pavilion at the 2005 European Seafood Exposition (ESE) this spring. Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), which sponsors the Alaska pavilion, reported that on-site sales of 15 participating Alaska exporters were estimated at $18 million, with 12-month combined sales from the show expected to exceed $104 million: a 29% increase over last year.

"The interest at ESE in wild Alaska Seafood was stronger than I have ever seen since I joined ASMI; this bodes well for the future of our industry," commented Ray Riutta, ASMI Executive Director.

Each year, ASMI organizes the massive exhibit at the European Seafood Exposition to group Alaska seafood suppliers together for maximum impact. Participating companies range from large producers ---Trident, Peter Pan and Ocean Beauty for example --- to small ‘niche’ producers like Rose Fisheries and Northern Keta Caviar. The Alaska pavilion also includes an ASMI exhibit promoting the full range of Alaska seafood products, distributing literature and the current Directory of Alaska Seafood Suppliers.

“This year, in response to the increasing business activity generated by the Alaska pavilion, ASMI expanded to include a second floor housing a business lounge area to better serve the Alaska exhibitors,” explains KC Dochtermann, director of ASMI’s international marketing activities. The lounge area featured displays of Alaska seafood products, and large photo images of Alaska scenery and vivid portraits of the seafood industry in action. Potential customers were able to get a taste of Alaska as well. “We offered a lot of tantalizing Alaska Seafood samples,” says Dochtermann, “including king, coho and sockeye salmon, black cod, Pacific cod, halibut and pollock. Alaskan Brewing Company provided refreshing beverages to accompany the seafood, enabling visitors to enjoy some of the best flavors that Alaska has to offer.”

The European Seafood Exposition is Europe’s largest seafood trade show, drawing seafood buyers from all over the world to Brussels, Belgium. This year’s show had more than 1,400 exhibitors from 65 countries.

Contact:
For more information please contact Laura Fleming, lfleming@alaskaseafood.org, 1-800-478-2903, or KC Dochtermann, kdochtermann@alaskaseafood.org

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