The Public-Eating-Place Market for Fishery Products 



Tlie public feeding industry is araonc the best of a].l potential 

 markets for fishery products. Most restaurateurs and managers of public 

 eating places which serve fishery products consider fish and shellfish a 

 highly profitable menu item yet nearly half of the various types of pub- 

 lic eating places in the Uai.ted States serve no fish or shellfish. Also 

 among those eating places which serve fishery products, the possibility 

 of increasing sales of fish and shellfish is most promising. Some 

 reasons for this are as follows: 



(1) Fish and shellfish meals mean relatively greater 

 profit when compared with most other major food 

 items and 



(2) Many people prefer to eat fish and shellfish at a 

 restaurant or some other public eating place 

 rather than at home. 



How then, can the fishing industry develop this fertile field? 

 The public eating place operator appears to think that there is a need and 

 desire for a more vigorous educational and promotional program for fishery 

 products, not necessarily by him since he is primarily interested in pro- 

 moting more customers, but certainly by the fishing industry. He feels 

 that if the beneficial qualities and food value of fish and shellfish were 

 publicized more extensively, then he would surely sell more fish and shell- 

 fish meals. 



But this is not all. Advertising and market promotion can induce 

 a consumer to make an initial selection of a fishery item, but thereafter 

 the product must sell itself. There must be on hand the item that is pre- 

 ferred by the consiuner. It should be consistently of good quality and 

 flavor in order to develop the "repeat" sales which provide a firm basis 

 for a prosperous business. Here is where a knowledge of the requirements 

 of the public eating place market, the buying practices, methods of handling 

 and consumer preferences are most needed by the fishing industry. How far 

 must the eating place go in order to get the kind of fish and shellfish 

 they Want? How great is the need for specific and detailed standards for 

 grading the quality of fishery products? To what extent would portion con- 

 trol in the form of pre-pack^iging by the fishery industry eliminate "guess 

 cutting" by kitchen help and save the eating place operator tin? and 

 trouble in better serving Ids customers? These are some of the problems 

 encountered in this field. This study contains infomiation on this and 

 like subjects which should help in formulating solutions to such problems. 



Before World Mar U only a limited niunber of fish processors 

 catered to the mass feed.lng industry v/hich largely preferred fresh fish 

 and shellfish. Since then frozc;n and processed fish and shellfish have 

 made great inroads into this market cind more and more processors are 

 finding a m.arket for their products aiiiong eating establishments. 



