Acceptability of East Coast Packs by Consumers 



Of the total pack of over 9,115,202 standard cases of tuna 

 produced in the United otates and Hawaii in 1952, slightly over 200,000 

 cases or about two percent was packed on the Atlantic Coast. Obvious- 

 ly such a small volume could not be distributed very widely. As a 

 result very little is Imown regarding the acceptability of the east 

 coast packs compared with those of the west coast. The Atlantic Coast 

 pack consisted of bluefin and little tuna from the east coast and 

 yellowfin and skipjack and albacore from other areas. 



Comments from the New England Area indicate that the east coast 

 pack of albacore is quite acceptable. One of the largest cnain grocers 

 in the southern and southeastern states reports very good sales of the 

 east coast pack of yellowfin tuna but reported the lack of a regular 

 supply. The packs of Atlantic coast species, such as bluefin and little 

 tuna, are not considered quite as acceptable as the light- me at packs 

 produced from either imported tuna or from the west coast yellowfin and 

 skipjack because of the darker appearance and, in some cases, a some- 

 what stronger flavor. However, the latter factor is considered an at- 

 tribute by some small segments of the United States population. In 

 general, however, the prevailing American consumer preference is for 

 the milder flavored product. Those selling the east coast product 

 report that consumers know very little about this pack. 



As the east coast pack increases in volume and becomes more wide- 

 ly distributed there is every reason to believe that its use and ac- 

 ceptability will expand. It is not e^nected that the geographical 

 point of packing will be of any significance in Influencing the consumers' 

 choice of canned tim^' packs insofar as quality of comparable species is 

 concerned. 



Acceptability of Bonito and Tuna by Consumers 4/ 



Most distributors agree that canned bonito is an acceptable 

 product and that there is a definite place for it on the market, pri- 

 marily as a lower priced item. At the retail level, chain stores are 

 doing a reasonably good business with bonito. These retailers reported 

 average volume sales of canned bonito as approximately one-third those 

 of their sales of canned tuna. Several chain store operators indicated 

 increased sales of canned 'bonito over the past two years and attributed 

 this largely to the lower cost as compared with canned tuna. Aside from 



47 In this section "canned tuna" does not include tunalike species. 



75 



