Alaska beefs up its fish drive into UK and Europe – Fishupdate.com

Alaska beefs up its fish drive into UK and Europe Published:  04 December, 2013

THE Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is to make a big  push into the UK and Northern Europe following the appointment of the experienced London PR firm  Lotus UK to be its marketing and trade representation in that region of the world.

The apppointment comes amid reports of a bumper pink salmon harvest this year which has given the Institute the task of trying to find new outlets for all this fish. The Alaska seafooid industry is worth over $15-billion a year and provides direct and indirect jbs for 165,000 people.

Covering the United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands and Scandinavia, the new marketing contract contract includes the development and execution of consumer PR and promotions, as well as trade marketing and trade relationship management.

Lotus UK director Rebecca Wilson heads up the team appointed to manage the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute account. she will will work alongside Dr. Jon Harman, a seafood industry expert whose extensive career includes roles at Seafood Scotland and most recently the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish), where he was responsible for trade relationships, consumer marketing and PR, consumer research and sustainability services.

Additionally, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute account team includes Susan van Egmond, a highly recognizable marketer in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and Maarten Mens, an established seafood industry professional, who heads up trade relations. Both are based in the Netherlands.

Alaska is one of the largest world suppliers of internationally –recognized sustainable seafood. Nearly 30,000 tons of Alaska seafood is imported into the UK yearly.

Lotus UK will use its extensive experience to market Alaska seafood, further developing its positioning as wild, natural and sustainable by reinforcing its Alaska origin. Lotus UK currently handles the Alaska tourism account and will dovetail tourism marketing activity with ASMI activity to tell the Alaska story. The new contract will begin immediately.

Meanwhile, the Institute has held a meeting in Anchorage to find ways of selling the millions of pink salmon landed through its $1.5 milion marketing budget. More fish is likely to be offered to US school and government programmes and to food aid organisations across the world.