Market information and marketing strategies, sales channels and logistics information
Greece
In Greece, fish producers are supplied by fish farms, mainly private or public (iridescent rainbow trout). Fish hatcheries are land facilities with high-tech systems and constructions, where the reproduction of fish takes place in a natural way and the brood is produced, and their water supply is done by the sea or by drilling. The collection of eggs by the breeders leads to hatching and breeding so that they can be turned into fish, which will then be supplied to producers.
Open-air street markets in Greece are active throughout its territory, and supply citizens and professionals with land food products, fresh sea/ freshwater/ aquaculture fishery products, processed food products – frozen food, etc. All open-air/ public street markets operate in every Region, Prefecture and Municipality of Greece. In order to be able to sell fish and other products from the producer through open-air street markets, it is required to issue a professional outdoor trade permit for Fresh seafood, freshwater, aquaculture.
Public Fish Auction Halls are managed within the framework of fishing legislation. Their meaning and definition is mentioned in article 24 of Law 420/1970 (ΦΕΚ 27/ A/ 31-1-1970). The Minister of Agricultural Development and Food, as a representative of the State, may assign the administration and management with the signing of a contract and specific operating conditions. At this day, the sole management body is CMFO SA (Central Markets and Fishery Organization). Fish Fish Auction Halls are eleven and are located in Piraeus (Keratsini), Thessaloniki (Nea Michaniona), Patras, Kavala, Alexandroupolis, Kalymnos, Preveza, Chalkida, Chania (Souda), Chios and Messolonghi.
CMFO’s fishmongers’ branches throughout Greece make possible (for fishermen-traders as well as consumers) the supply of the country with fresh of good quality fish. At the same time, the local economy of each region is stimulated through commercial activity that develops in and around them, assisted by value-added services, such as packaging and processing plants, which increase the value of the raw material, for the benefit of the producer and trader and facilitating export process through facilities certified by the competent services of the EU.
The size of the market with fresh fish and seafood in value appears to reach € 1,230.8 million on an annual basis and is traded mainly through the retail channel (fish markets, S/M) and much less through Food Service (markets of mass catering). In recent years, freshwater distribution channels have expanded and consumers can find fresh fish not only in fish markets, but also in specially designed areas in organized retail (HM/ SM). The Retail channel (SM/ HM/ Discounters/ Small Retail, C&C, Specialized Retail) concerns the distribution of products through retail chains to final consumer and the annual turnover is estimated at € 142m. The Food Service channel accounts for 56% of the total turnover of frozen fish in the domestic market (Enterprise Greece, 2015).
Aquacultured fish are found as whole fish but also as processed in retail in Greece and in countries where they are exported, primarily on large-scale retail stores. Fish is a highly valued product for most fishmongers and restaurants. The price of wild euryhaline species can exceed 25 euros/ kg, while the aquacultured sea bass is generally priced below the 10 euro/ kg limit.
According to data from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, 37% of Europeans and 75% of Greeks prefer products of fisheries and fish farming from their own countries. The vast majority of consumers buy fish and fish products from fishmongers and supermarkets, while fewer consumers suggest fish products from popular markets or fish markets and fish auction halls.
Some of the key conclusions on which marketing strategy and tactics are based are as follows:
• The price of the product (sea bream – sea bass) has been stabilized in recent years and is not offered as a field of intense competition.
• The product market is divided into internal and external. Domestic demand for sea bream and sea bass has been growing in recent years. The demand from abroad has to do mainly with the effort of Greek companies to be active in new markets. Thus, while the presence of Greek products in some markets (Italy mainly, but also Spain and France) has been established, an effort is being made to expand to new ones.
• In the period 2001-2005, many changes in the industry occurred; many companies were acquired while others merged, with the result that the industry now consists of a few very strong group companies and a number of other smaller companies. Entry barriers are very strong for a new company that wants to play a leading role in the industry and gain a market share of 5% -8%.
• Companies that are already active do not significantly use advertising or any other of the marketing tools in order to promote the product. There is no differentiation in any way of the product, as it is considered as one and common. The promotion of the product is based on personal contacts and the power of the distributor (commercial company, wholesaler) with which the respective company or the privately owned distribution network that some of the companies have developed over the years.
• The aid provided by the Greek state and the European Union is sufficient. But companies need to focus on quality and environmental protection in order to take advantage of these benefits. Largest companies in the industry are ISO and HACCP certified while some of them (e.g. Selonda) are AGRO 4-1 and 4-2 certified.
• The future for the wider aquaculture sector is very favorable. As the living standard in Greece and in the rest of Europe is constantly improving, fish consumption is playing an increasingly important role in daily diet and expenses of Greek households for fresh fish are increasing (Γεωργακόπουλος, 2006).
Factors that mainly affect the prices of the products are the seasonality of the demand and supply, the prices of the competitors but also the weight of the final product. The demand for fish is increasing during summer months mainly due to the increase in tourist traffic while decreasing respectively during winter months. Also, a large part of the production of fish farming companies is available in the market during the fall, which results in prices being under pressure during this period. Depending on the weight of the fish, the selling prices are also determined.
Aquaculture companies aspire to establish themselves as companies whose brand will be synonymous with the consistency and high quality of their products. Their goal is to meet the needs of consumers with high quality products, the continuous modernization of their facilities and the expansion of their activities, so as to create more jobs, but also to use more environmentally friendly technologies, thus reciprocating their economic benefit to consumers.
Customers of the products of Greek aquaculture companies can be divided into two main categories: a) domestic customers and b) foreign customers. Every year, a very large percentage of production is exported to third countries while the rest is consumed by the domestic market. Abroad, mainly the largest companies in the industry sell either directly or indirectly through commercial companies that own them. Fish consumers are people of all genders and ages and living standards throughout Greece. Customers of the Greek companies producing sea bream and sea bass also appear to buy products directly from abroad (mainly from Italy). This type of customer-companies has developed an advanced network that surveys the markets that produce products of interest, at a price that ensures profitability. Direct contact with the producer eliminates intermediate costs.
Generally, for an aquaculture business, the customer is not only the end consumer, but also all intermediaries who may seek to market the particular product.
The Unique Selling Proposition refers to the unique benefit of a company, service, product or brand that allows it to stand out from its competitors. The Unique Selling Proposition should be a feature that highlights the benefits of products that make sense to consumers. Typically, uniqueness is provided by a single process, component, or system that produces the described benefit. Businesses use slogans to communicate their Unique Selling Proposition (Entrepreneur; Laskey, 1989).
Some examples of slogans used by big companies in the field of aquaculture operating in Greece are “Your nearby sea fisherman” of the Andromeda Group, “A global leader, your local partner” of Nireus Aquacultures, “The original selection from 1981” by Selonda Aquacultures. The communication of the slogan of a company and therefore its Unique Selling Proposition is done through the home page of its website but also in the packaging it uses.
Once the target market is determined, the corresponding placement strategy is developed, i.e. the image that a company will try to create for its products, so that the target customers recognize the benefits they will have from their consumption. Due to the fact that the target market is the same target market for many competing companies, product placement must create a stronger, more exclusive and clearer image.
The aquaculture industry in Greece uses various channels for the distribution of the final product, such as fish markets, fish auction halls, wholesalers, commercial companies and super markets. The largest percentage of production is marketed through wholesalers and commercial companies. These companies procure and resell aquaculture products to other wholesalers or retailers and catering companies. Many large companies-groups in the industry that have strengthened their presence in the market have extensive distribution networks as well as subsidiaries (Γεωργακόπουλος, 2006).
Distribution of aquaculture products by the companies of the sector in the domestic market, as well as abroad, is carried out mainly through wholesalers (approximately 85% of the production). The aquaculture sector is among the largest exporting forces in Greece and about 80% of total production is exported to Europe.
The largest companies in the sector have organized distribution networks through subsidiaries that promote them mainly abroad. In addition, these companies also sell fish on behalf of smaller companies in the industry that do not have their own distribution network. In addition to wholesalers, some companies in the industry have their products directly in fish markets and super markets (about 15% of production).
Promotion strategies followed by companies in the sector in Greece include online promotion through the websites of the companies but also through internet banners on websites with high user traffic mainly during fasting periods, the organization of events (in places with large concentration of people), the participation at special events related to nutrition (e.g. World Nutrition Day, medical conferences), participation in branch exhibitions/ road shows abroad. Television/ radio advertising is mainly limited to fasting periods.
Romania
Romania produces large quantities of crap, so it is naturally that on the Romanian market we find that the most fingerlings produced are those of cyprinids. In the country there are fish farms that are selling fingerlings, and many of these farms advertise on their website or buying-selling sites. Romania imported, in the period January -September 2017 a quantity of 56.021 tons of fish, crustacea and jellyfish, an increased value of 5.4% from 2016 – same period. The export values for the fish, registered in the same period are 20 times lower.
Government Decision no. 348 of March 18, 2004 establishes the general rules for the exercise of specific forms of retail trade and the provision of services in some public areas, as well as the minimum equipment requirements necessary to carry out these activities. Retail in some public areas means the activity of marketing products and services, carried out permanently or seasonally in markets, fairs, public passages, public roads and streets or in any other area intended for public use, except those specially administered.
The purpose of regulating trade in public areas is to create a framework for the marketing of market products and services, which respects the principles of fair competition, protection of life, health, security and economic interests of consumers and the environment. Public areas may be managed directly by the local public administration or by private contractors under the conditions provided by law.
In public areas it can carry out its activity: any legal person engaged in the activity of retail sale of products; individual agricultural producers and their associations, which market their own agricultural and products.
The Romanian market is supplied with fish coming from marine fishing, freshwater fisheries (catch or aquaculture) and from imports. The Romanian market offers the following forms of fishery products: live fish, full fish (fresh, refrigerated or frozen), primary processed fish (eviscerated, beheaded, filleted, cut), semi-prepared (marinated, pasted, fish roe, salted, smoked fish), canned fish (in oil, in tomato sauce, other types).
Still, the majority of restaurants from Romania use imported fish. But there are also businesses that have multifunctional fish farming. This involves the realization of the entire commercial chain: production of raw materials (fish farms) – production of finished products (fish processing section) – marketing and distribution of finished products (restaurant, own stores, traditional distribution networks).
Producer organizations are set up by fishermen or aqua culturists who associate freely for the purpose of implementing measures to ensure the best conditions for the marketing of their products. These measures aim to: encourage production planning and adaptation to demand, in particular through the implementation of catch plans; to promote the concentration of supply; to stabilize prices; encourage methods that promote sustainable fishing.
In order to help the restaurant and producers, the Tulcea Fish Exchange was created. It is an investment objective financed from the European Fisheries Fund. This investment comes in support of commercial fishermen, and has the role of facilitating the activity of fish collection centers and aquaculture farms in the Danube Delta on the distribution/sale segment, on safe marketing chains and as short as possible. The main purpose of the Fish Exchange is to strengthen the infrastructure for collecting and distributing fish caught or produced in aquaculture farms in the Danube Delta.
The majority of fish products are distributed and sold through supermarket chains. Romanian’s household consumption is dominated by live/fresh fish, followed by frozen fish, and marinated and prepared products.
In Romania we find many live and processed fish markets, still we encounter the same problem as restaurants, a large portion of the fish from the market comes from the import. Only in recent years a small number of Romanian companies have begun to offer competitive products from local production (especially semi-finished products). Most of the raw material is imported. Mackerel and herring are the species that have a share in both imports and processing. Most of the total imports are represented by the import of frozen fish, in various forms of presentation.
Emergency Ordinance 23/2008 on fishing and aquaculture states that the first sale represents sale which is made for the first time on the national territory and which establishes by documents the price of the product. The first price of fishery products is made in places established and authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development, at the proposal of the National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Authorized persons and/or legal persons having production capacity for commercial fishing or aquaculture may, on their own initiative, set up producer organizations for the purpose of responsible fishing and improving the conditions for the sale of products made by their members. The members of the organizations must sell the product or products for which they are associated, in compliance with the legal provisions in force, in order to improve the quality of products, adapt the volume of supply to market requirements and improve the marketing process.
The fish products may be sold or marketed only if they meet marketing standards for classification by quality, size or weight, packaging, presentation, and labeling. In Romania the National Authority for Consumer Protection is responsible for checking the quality, marketing and labeling of fish, prepackaged fish dishes and canned fish, while NAFA control the fish farms, the quality of the fish.
Fish is an easily perishable product, and its preservation in food safety parameters from the time it is caught to the time of consumption or processing depends essentially on the time and conditions of transport. Also, the preservation of fish and fish products in good condition depends on the conditions of temporary storage within the marketing units.
So the aim is to give the buyer the product as fast as possible, to distribute it to the local shops or directly to the buyer.
The promotion for the products is made through every channel of advertisings and promotional activities carried out by the manufacturer to create demand for the product. The fish producer are advertising their products on social media pages, on their website or buying selling sites.
The present situation, pandemic COVID 19, created a supplementary pressure on the aquaculture field. The Romanian POPAM amended its support with a enabled a set of mitigation measures for the pandemic situation, that included the following:
• compensation amounts for the fishermen – temporary suspension of the commercial fishery in the period 01.02.2020-31.12.2020
• compensation amounts for the aquaculture representatives in the case of temporary suspension of the production and selling activities or additional costs correlated with the pandemic situation, for the period 01.02.2020-31.12.2020
• compensation amounts for the processors in the case of temporary reduction of production and selling in the case of supplementary costs regarding the production storage correlated with the pandemic situation, for the period 01.02.2020-31.12.2020.
The measured above mentioned are tackling the financial challenges faced by the sector, in the same time enabling the possibility of accessing the support in a strategic manner, enforcing the existent networks and its efforts of increasing its presence on the Romanian consumption market. There is a compulsory need for an integrated approach in terms of developing the marketing strategy at the national level, that are tackling the specificity of both industrial and domestic production in direct correlation with the national consumption.
Turkey
Marketing is the final but the most important step to reach targeted levels for the aquaculture business investments to make fastest turnovers and provide sustainability for the company.
Literally, marketing strategy is a part of any business plan that outlines any overall advertising plan on how to find and attract customers or customers with the business. Marketing strategy focuses on what it is desired to achieve for the business and marketing efforts. As a following step, a marketing plan is needed to explain how a company will achieve these goals.
The main deficiencies are these two concepts on marketing of fish and fish products of Turkey. Obviously there are rather minor problems in internal marketing. Producer-wholesaler-retailer links are well established and packing, processing, cold chain, transportation to other markets provided efficiently. There are rules regulating markets and sanitary issues, standards, etc.
The most important problem is not to be a brand name in international markets. At present majority of fish and fish products exported as raw material to be sold under buyer’s brand in European and Asian markets though exporter companies and deliver the products with cold chain.
According to the latest statistics majority of the fishery products are marketed fresh across the country; especially the fish from capture fisheries. Fishing season in the Black Sea starts in mid-autumn and continues till April. During this period there are intensive marketing efforts and bulk of fish are loaded to trucks from fishing ports to the wholesale markets of big metropolitan cities (Ankara, İzmir, Bursa and Istanbul). Small vehicles deliver fish for the needs of local markets and neighbouring cities. In late autumn and winter time, anchovy, bonito, blue fish and horse mackerel are transported in Styrofoam boxes with ice. Refrigerated trucks are used for longer distances. Cold chain is well established in Turkey, vehicles used to carry fish from local wholesale markets or directly from purse seine vessels in fishing ports to targeted cities to be recorded wholesale markets in final destination. When they turn back, bring usually imported fish from Istanbul or fish feed and other supplies for the market and fish farms. Main legal document is the certificate of origin at the transportation phase.
Main actors in the marketing process are the wholesalers who have offices in the whole sale markets in each of the Black Sea coastal cities and targeted markets. Fish either are sold in Trabzon Wholesale Fish Market or Wholesale Market in the targeted city after transferring fish in cold chain over auctions which is rather different than in EU countries. Price of the fish is very depended to quantity of fish landed and arrived to the market, its freshness, size of the fish and the demand from retailers. Every skipper or industrial fishing vessel has an agreement with one of the wholesaler and their fish are sold via contracted wholesaler with a commission up to 18%. This high commission covers all the economic losses and cost of transportation, staff coasts to upload and download the trucks.
If the supply is more than demand or size of the catch is so small than the allowable minimum landing size, prices goes down and fish consumption increases. If it remains unsold, it is forwarded to fish processing plants for fish meal and oil with cheaper prices (1/5 to 1/10 of the market price). On the other hand capture fishery has the seasonality, out of the fishing season, fresh fish consumption rate decreases due to higher prices. In coastal cities, citizens used to process fish as keeping in brine solution or in salt; especially bonito and anchovy. Some of fish shops and retailers prepare these products to sell their customers in no fishing season. Some part of the anchovy are shocked and marketed in local supermarkets throughout the year and exported to EU markets especially where Turkish workers lived in.
Farm products have different marketing structure. Due to fixed costs; mainly fish feed, energy and staff costs, producers determines the basic price. Some markets and restaurants demand fresh fish, then, harvesting from ponds and cages is carried out upon request. Some others may want chilled and frozen in larger quantities. There is constant supply of farmed fish to the wholesale markets over determined prices by the fish farm. All fish and fish products are kept and carried Styrofoam boxes either fresh with ice or frozen. Majority of farmed fish is deep frozen for the export. Expert import companies or the agents of international companies are always involved in exporting process at the beginning of the production cycle by negotiating/pre-contracting of the producer companies. At the end of the growing season fish harvested from cages/ponds are transferred to the processing plants for cleaning, filleting, gutting and/or freezing. Export process is completed either from Trabzon Airport but mostly from Istanbul after transferring fish by trucks under cold chain. Processing plants prepare fish in different styles according to the demand of the market in different types and volumes.
The minimum standards are determined with legal measures and street markets, local fish shops and wholesale markets are expected to apply all standards described in the regulations.
Officially wholesale markets are under the responsibility of Municipalities from arrival of fish, keeping records, health control and hygienic controls of the market. Unfortunately system doesn’t work very well; sales and recordings are carried out by the wholesalers and they report to the market administration. Point controls are done by Provincial Directorate of MoAF or together with Municipality polices.
Main wholesale markets in the region are Trabzon and Samsun Metropolitan cities, Ordu, Giresun, and Rize. None of them have institutional capacities like the ones in EU countries.
There is high correlation between production, trade and consumption rates. Turkey has considerable high rate of capture fisheries and aquaculture production however consumption per capita is still remains lower than EU and global level, which is 5-6 kg per capita (Table 1). The reason is the nutrition habits and consumption culture of the citizens; majority of the consumers prefer to eat fish within the catch season as fresh and low demand for processed seafood and other marine organisms like crustaceans and molluscs.
Two other important and interrelated factors that affect consumption is the amount of production and price. If the production of migratory fish species such as anchovy, sardine, bluefish, bonito and horse mackerel decrease, naturally consumption amounts also decrease. Especially since September, when fishing season starts the abundant catch of these species may also affect the market price of other fish species and fish prices remain at a low level during this period till December.
There are variety of fish markets taking place between the ports/farms where fish landed/produced and sale units to the consumers. If the capacity of the farm located on river sides is small, usually they directly reach consumers by selling in farm, or over small fish shops. As the production increases, farmers intend to open small fish restaurants to sell value added products to increase their earnings.
Farmer producing larger quantities in dam and sea cages, they have more options in marketing; selling to the wholesalers as big quantities, or deserve fish especially for export after processing as frozen, filleted and packed in different types. For big demands they supply frozen whole fish to main wholesale markets in big cities after transporting them in cold chain.
At present more than 75% of big trout or Black Sea salmon are exported either via the exporter company of the producer or other exporter companies by paying commission or other means of payments upon agreement.
In domestic markets price of capture fish production is formed in big wholesale markets by auction and price of farmed fish is determined according to the production cost. Therefore the price of wild fish may show great variation within the year due to quantity of the catch, level of demand, season (fishing or no-fishing period), time of the day of marketing (early or late hours), freshness (time of capture and transportation to the market); while price of farmed fish have rather stable prices.
There are several types of products delivered to the markets according to the demand from consumers and marketing/export companies. Local consumers prefer to buy farmed fish as fresh, but in some cases due to weather and sea conditions frozen products are wanted in the market. Chilling the products with ice is obligatory to keep fish in healthy condition in boxes during marketing. Fresh marketing covers mainly alive fish harvested from the ponds to send restaurants which exhibit trout sp alive in aquariums for the selection of the customers. All of the frozen products are prepared in fish processing plants.
The main legislation is the “Regulation on Fisheries Wholesale and Retail Sales” dated 19.06.2002(Official Journal No: 24790), based on Fisheries Law, 1380 and amended Law, 3288; articles 23 and 29.
This Regulation has been prepared in order to ensure that fishery products are offered to consumers in a fast and safe manner in accordance with hygiene, quality and standards, within free competition conditions.
It aims to set up the minimum general, technical, hygienic, physical and infrastructural conditions that must be complied with in fisheries wholesale places established or to be established by municipalities and/or real and legal persons, and the establishment, operation, management and operation of these places, retail sale of fishery products and the procedures and principles regarding the conditions that employees should have at the sales points, and the matters related to control and inspection. Covid-19 outbreak has worldwide impact on international markets. Fortunately, aquaculture industry has managed overcome of this impact by intelligent approach. When fish sales were decreased, MoAF organized sales campaign with supermarket chains by fixed, reduced price for marketing farm products. International demands cancelled at the beginning, prices went down. Fish farmers stored their products after freezing. When demands started they import this bulk of fish with higher price than the time of strict pandemic closures. Another important result is that farmers did not stop their production and no one lost their job in the Black Sea region.
Ukraine
The main constraints for aquaculture business development are low differentiation and standardization of products, lack of quality logistics, over-regulation of aquaculture production, relatively low profitability of the industry and low market growth.
Successful aquaculture businesses rely upon effective marketing strategies developed as a result of comprehensive market planning. Market plans begin with a thorough assessment of the current market situation based on secondary data. Additional direct observations or sometimes market research supplement the broader trends found in secondary data. The market plan then carefully analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the business, including external threats and opportunities and internal strengths and weaknesses. Careful consideration should be given to whether the market can be segmented and whether the company should focus on one single product or various products and product lines. Examining the product’s life cycle and development of a price‐quality matrix and a product‐space map will help to clarify optimal product positioning strategies. Once the key parts of the marketing strategy are defined (target markets, how to position the product(s), how to price the product, and distribution channels), a financial analysis of the marketing plan needs to be developed as well as a methodology for monitoring and evaluating the company’s marketing performance .
Fee fishing is an attractive marketing alternative for many small-scale producers. The increased demand for fishing opportunities and per capita consumption of fisheries products have led to rapid expansion and development in this market. A major benefit is the premium price paid for fish. The price per pound may be as much as double that paid by large processing plants.
The initial step in establishing a fee fishing operation is determining what the customer wants. Fishermen’s preferences vary from one geographic area to another. This determination should include not only the species and size of fish to use, but also conveniences such as concessions, bait, tackle, restrooms, shaded areas, benches, etc.
Additionally, the potential fee fishing operator must determine where, how and when to sell. Location is an important consideration in determining if fee fishing is a viable marketing alternative. Ideally, fee fishing ponds should be easily accessible from a heavily traveled road near an urban center. Fee fishing customers appreciate convenient parking areas and easy access to ponds. The site should be identified with large signs on the nearest major road, and additional signs on secondary roads. Most fee fishing operations depend on word-of-mouth advertising to attract customers. It is essential that potential customers be able to locate the fee fishing operation.
Marketing through fee fishing requires a willingness to deal with the public and to work long hours, often seven days a week. Considerable management ability is required to provide maximum returns. The primary advantage is the premium price received by the operator.
Small-scale producers may sell fishes to live haulers. Live haulers usually buy fishes at the pond bank, then transport and sell them at other outlets such as processing plants, pay lakes, recreational lakes, or retail outlets. Small-scale producers often have difficulty working with live haulers because the producers lack proper equipment and experience. Live haulers need to know exactly how many pounds, what size, and when fishes will be available. Live haulers prefer not to handle small quantities of fish, less than 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, and in some areas not less than 5,000 to 10,000 pounds. Some live haulers may use small trucks to transport fishes within restricted geographic areas, providing an outlet for 500 to 1,000 pounds of fish at a time. They prefer that fish be of a consistent size.
Another marketing alternative is direct sales of live, whole or processed fish. This option requires a holding facility but offers the advantage of a premium price with a minimum amount of dealing with the public. Specific hours of operation can be established. Small producers may be open only a few hours one day per week. This allows efficient scheduling of time and reduces time lost waiting for a customer. Orders for fish can be taken prior to pick up with all customers required to pick up fish during a specified time.
If processed fish are sold directly to the public, sanitary processing facilities are required. Local public health officials should be contacted concerning regulations for processing and selling aquaculture products.
Direct Sales to Restaurants, Grocery Stores, and Other Retail Outlets. Direct sales to restaurants, grocery stores, or other retail outlets often appear to be a viable marketing alternative for small producers. In most cases they are not. Although there may be many retail outlets in the vicinity, they require a constant supply and consistent size product. A small producer probably will have fish available for only a very short time. Even though the producer might be able to deliver a quality product at a reasonable price, the retail outlet manager will usually choose an established distributor or large producer for convenience and dependability.