« August 2007 Table of Contents 
Retail Report: Prepared crab, lobster, shrimp up 10.6 percent
Crabs grab largest share of subcategory sales
August 01, 2007
Shoppers splurge on prepared crustacean products such as
crab, lobster and shrimp during the year-end holidays. This
subcategory of the supermarket seafood department accounted for
2.6 percent of seafood department sales during the 52 weeks
ending April 28. Nationally, the subcategory averaged $139 in
weekly sales, a 10.6 percent increase from the previous
year.
Weekly subcategory sales climbed steadily beginning in early
November (week ending Nov. 4, 2006) and peaked the last week in
December, likely elevated by both the Christmas and New Year's
holidays, at an average of $312 per store.
Prepared crustacean sales dip during the summer months, when
fresh fish and other traditional barbeque meats are more
popular options. Subcategory weekly sales began to decline in
late May (week ending May 20, 2006), reaching a low of $63
during the week ending on Sept. 30, 2006.
All regions reported an increase in average weekly sales for
the year ending April 28. The East region had the highest
average weekly dollar sales with $230 per store, an increase of
15 percent compared to the previous year. Although the West
reported the greatest prepared crustacean contribution with 2.8
percent, it was the only region to see a decline in
contribution from previous year, down 0.1 percent.
Nationally, prepared crabs held the largest share of
prepared crustacean sales with 49.1 percent. Prepared shrimp
captured the second highest average weekly sales with 41.7
percent, followed by prepared lobster at 7.8 percent and the
"other prepared crustaceans" segment at 1.4 percent.
Driving prepared-crustacean sales, prepared-crab sales
mirrored the overall subcategory trend, peaking during the last
week in December 2006 at $195 per store. Prepared shrimp sales
were highest the week ending March 3 at $161 per store while
prepared lobster sales peaked the week ending Aug. 5, 2006, at
$31 per store.