CHAPTER YL 



MARKETING 



ABSTRACT 



THE BULK or THE SHRIMP CONSUMED FRESH IS PRODUCED BY 

 FISHERMEN OPERATING FROM SOUTH ATLANTIC AND WEST COAST FLORIDA 

 PORTS. FRESH SHRIMP MAY GO DIRECTLY FROM THE RAW SHRIMP PLANT 

 TO THE WHOLESALER IN THE CONSUMER MARKET OR EVEN TO THE LOCAL 

 RETAILER IN THE LANDING PORT. MORE OFTEN A PORT WHOLESALER, 

 WHO HAS ASSEMBLED FRESH SHRIMP FROM A NUMBER OF SHRIMP PLANTS, 

 CHANNELS THE SHRIMP INTO THE CONSUMER MARKET. FISHERMEN'S 

 COOPERATIVES FUNCTION IN THIS MANNER. SHIPMENTS OF FRESH SHRIMP 

 ARE DESTINED PRIMARILY FOR NEW YORK CITY AND SOME OF THE POPU- 

 LATION CENTERS NEAR THE TRUCK ROUTES RADIATING FROM THE LANDING 

 PORTS. SHIPMENT IS MADE ON A COMMISSION BASIS OR ON DIRECT 

 SALE TO A BUYER. 



THE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS FOR FROZEN SHRIMP ARE 

 SIMILAR TO THOSE FOR FRESH SHRIMP BUT LARGER QUANTITIES OF 

 FROZEN SHRIMP ARE HANDLED BY WHOLESALE FOOD BROKERS THAN ARE 

 SOLD DIRECTLY BY TITLE-HOLDING WHOLESALERS OR ON COMMISSION. 

 LARGE GROCERY STORE OR RESTAURANT CHAINS OFTEN BY -PASS FOOD 

 BROKERS AND NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY WITH SHRIMP PROCESSORS OR 

 WHOLESALERS. THE QUANTITY OF FROZEN SHRIMP HANDLED IS 

 GREATER THAN THAT FOR ANY OTHER SHRIMP PRODUCT. 



CANNED SHRIMP IS DISTRIBUTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS 

 OTHER CANNED PRODUCTS, I.E., THROUGH MIDDLEMEN SUPPLYING THE 

 RETAIL GROCERY TRADE: SECONDARY WHOLESALERS, BROKERS, AND CHAIN 

 ORGANIZATIONS. 



THE MARKETING PROCESS FOR SHRIMP PRODUCTS IS CHARAC- 

 TERIZED BY THE ABSENCE, IN MANY INSTANCES, OF WRITTEN AGREEMENTS 

 BETWEEN BUYERS AND SELLERS. THIS APPLIES TO SALES AT THE FISHER- 

 MAN'S LEVEL AS WELL AS TO THE SALES TRANSACTED BY SHRIMP PLANTS. 



QUESTIONNAIRE INTERVIEWS OF SECONDARY WHOLESALERS AND 

 RETAILERS OF SHRIMP PRODUCTS AS WELL AS AN AUDIT OF RETAIL SALES 

 AND INVENTORIES AND A SHRIMP MERCHANDISING EXPERIMENT (MADE FOR 

 THE PURPOSE OF STUDYING THE SALE OF PRODUCTS AT RETAIL UNDER 

 SPECIALLY CONTROLLED MARKETING CONDITIONS) HAVE PROVIDED INFOR- 

 MATION ON SECONDARY WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DISTRIBUTION PRACTICES 

 AND PROBLEMS. 



IN GENERAL, SECONDARY WHOLESALERS INTERVIEWED IN THE 

 COURSE OF THE SURVEY WERE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE TRADE'S ABILITY 

 TO MAINTAIN A FLOURISHING MARKET IN SHRIMP PRODUCTS. IN CASE 

 OF A SLUMP IN DEMAND, THE QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONDENTS HELD OUT 

 THE GREATEST HOPE FOR THE FOLLOWING DEVICES FOR STIMULATING 

 SALES: INTRODUCTION OF NEW PRODUCTS, BETTER PACKAGING, BETTER 

 GRADING OF SIZE AND QUALITY OF PRODUCTS, CONSUMER ADVERTISING, 

 AND COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES BETWEEN WHOLESALERS AND RETAILERS. 



