2026 Seafood Excellence Awards: Finalists Announced at Seafood Expo North America

The Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America has unveiled the 12 finalists for the prestigious 2026 Seafood Excellence Awards. These finalists were chosen from an impressive 108 entries in the New Product Showcase.

Winners are set to be announced on March 15 at 3:30 p.m. ET during a reception in the Wave Makers’ Zone at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston. The 44th edition of the expo will take place from March 15-17, 2026, featuring a vibrant showcase of seafood innovations.

Categories and Judging Criteria

The finalists will compete in two major categories: Best New Foodservice Product and Best New Retail Product. Judging will focus on several criteria, including:

• Taste
• Uniqueness
• Packaging
• Nutritional value
• Market potential
• Convenience
• Originality

All finalist products can be viewed at booth No. 3165 during the expo.

Foodservice Product Finalists

Three innovative products are competing for the title of Best New Foodservice Product:

• Azuma Foods International (booth No. 2686): Tako Wasabi, a chilled raw octopus product marinated in authentic Japanese wasabi, inspired by izakaya culture.
• King & Prince Seafood (booth No. 505): Mrs. Friday’s Honey Butter Biscuit Wild Alaska Pollock, an MSC-certified pollock featuring a honey butter biscuit coating for versatile menu applications.
• Trident Seafoods (booth No. 805): Crispy Battered Sauceable Nuggets, crafted from sustainable Wild Alaska Pollock designed to retain texture when sauced and kept hot for up to an hour, catering to dine-in, takeout, and delivery demands.

Retail Product Finalists

In the Best New Retail Product category, nine finalists showcase their culinary creativity across various seafood offerings:

• Angel Oak Smokehouse (booth No. 3352): Hot Smoked Salmon Ravioli, packed with smoked salmon, ricotta, lemon zest, and chives, containing 38 grams of protein per package of eight pieces.
• Aquamar (booth No. 1057): Cacio e Pepe Risotto Cakes with Shrimp, blending a crispy coating with a creamy shrimp risotto filling.
• Cox’s Wholesale Seafood (booth No. 909): Kickin Tikka Masala Wild Caught American Shrimp, featuring 100% American wild-caught shrimp that cooks in just five minutes.
• DOM International Limited (booth No. 2405): DOM Reserve Salmon Sashimi Singles, pre-sliced, individually sealed portions paired with soy sauce and wasabi.
• Echo Falls Seafoods (booth No. 1522): Smoked Norwegian Atlantic Salmon Party Slices, offering three flavor varieties of beechwood-smoked salmon.
• Icy Waters (booth No. 3444): The Good Fish Co. Coconut Margarita Haddock, a breadcrumb-crusted haddock fillet served with a tequila, coconut, and lime sauce.
• Multi X S.A. (booth No. 841): Latitude 45 Ceviche, a grab-and-go item featuring lightly smoked salmon cubes with ceviche-style seasoning.
• St. James Smokehouse (booth No. 3253): SAINT Fruit Wood Limoncello Smoked Salmon, dry-cured and smoked with Amalfi Coast lemons, packed with 24 grams of protein.
• Thunder’s Catch (booth No. 1739): Alaska Fisherman’s Cioppino, a fully cooked, shelf-stable stew with wild Bristol Bay Sockeye salmon, shrimp, and clams.

These finalists were selected based on their launch within the last 18 months in the North American market, exemplifying innovation and quality within the seafood sector.

The Seafood Excellence Awards also serve as the North American counterpart to the Seafood Excellence Global Awards at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, along with the Seafood Excellence Asia Awards in Singapore.

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