Market and Retail Outlook
The fact that the market demand for shrimp is so dispersed and global in nature is a huge opportunity. This is the catalyzer for further growth of shrimp production; while it was at 3 M tonnes in 2015, experts expect it to pass the 5 M mark in 2022. It however also raises challenges. In addition to the cyclical nature of the industry and volatility of prices, the various key importing markets and buyers articulate expanding expectations on e.g. provenance and traceability, feed, (certified) environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
In the seminar session, we will take a market perspective and look into various pressure points impacting shrimp trade and production. We will look at the latest import data and changing trade patterns. We will explore macro-economic trends and look into retail trends and how this is impacting shrimp consumption patterns.
We will zoom in by having well-known retailers and brands from across the globe talking about their expectations for sourcing shrimp now and into the future. We also hear from innovative initiatives which are taken in the shrimp industry today to be ahead of the game in meeting market expectations. The session will close with a moderated panel to discuss what is needed for solutions to scale?
Gerhard has been active in the fish and seafood industry in a variety of sourcing positions for more than 35 years. His direct involvement with the Shrimp Industry started in 2001 when he became directly involved in the establishment of the first mangrove reforestation project with extensive shrimp farming in Ngoc Hien, Ca Mau Province — the first of its kind globally — that was certified "organic" by Naturland in 2003 and has been operating successfully ever since.
After having graduated in European Business Studies, he joined Unilever in 1986 and served in a number of positions in Germany and the UK related to the global sourcing and local marketing of fish and seafood until his move to Switzerland in 2000. There, he assumed the responsibilities of Frozen Fish & Seafood Buyer at Bell AG, a member of the Swiss Coop Group. From 2003 onwards, he served as Buyer for Frozen Food directly for Coop, who delegated him from 2005 to 2010 as Division Manager Food, Near Food & Stationary to their subsidiary Eurogroup Far East Ltd in Hong Kong. Following this time, in Asia, he resumed his duties as Buyer for Frozen Food at Coop with responsibility for a wide scope of frozen products and, since 2018, as Head of Projects and Overseas Buying for Frozen Products.
Since his retirement from Coop at the end of February 2022, he has used his accumulated sourcing expertise to advise interested companies on how to implement direct sourcing at the origin in overseas supply markets.
