« September 2008 Table of Contents 
Retail Report: Consistent cod
Cod's sales growth outpaces overall seafood department growth
September 01, 2008
The almighty cod is viewed by many as the quintessential
American fish. Harvested from both the Pacific and Atlantic,
cod is the eighth most popular fish in the United States,
according to the National Fisheries Institute's per-capita
consumption list (see Newsline, p. 8). When it comes to
supermarket sales, cod is the fifth largest sub-category within
the finfish category, accounting for 5 percent of finfish
dollar sales during the 52 weeks ending May 31, and
contributing 1.8 percent to total seafood department sales.
Nationally, weekly cod sales averaged $99 per store, a 7.5
percent increase from the previous year. Cod sales grew faster
than the overall seafood department, which saw year-over-year
growth of 3.5 percent.
Cod sales peak January through the beginning of April due to
supply. Cod sales were the highest during the week of March 1
at $148 per store. Consumer demand for cod rises in the spring,
due to holidays such as Mardi Gras, the Lenten period, St.
Patrick's Day and Easter. Cod sales reach a low point in both
June and November, due to seasonality and year-end holidays,
respectively.
Weekly cod sales in the East and Central regions both
surpassed the national average per store. The Eastern region
had the highest average weekly sales at $232 per store, more
than double the national average. The Central region sold $119
per store, only slightly higher than the total U.S. average of
$99 per week per store. The South averaged the lowest weekly
cod sales, with $49 per store, followed by
the West with $83
per store. The East contributed the most to overall
seafood
department sales with 2.7 percent.
Both the South and Central regions present opportunities for
cod. The Central region had a 14 percent increase in weekly
sales per store compared to a year ago, while the South saw 10
percent growth over the previous year.
Nationally, cod accounted for 5 percent of finfish sales
behind salmon, tilapia, catfish and other fresh fish. Salmon
accounted for a significant portion of weekly finfish sales
with 36.8 percent contribution, followed by tilapia, catfish
and other fresh fish with 15.7, 10.6 and 9 percent,
respectively.