2026 Seafood Excellence Global Awards: Celebrating Culinary Innovations

The much-anticipated Seafood Excellence Global Awards were held on the evening of April 23, 2026, at the esteemed Seafood Expo Global—the premier seafood trade event worldwide. This year, Vičiūnai Group from Lithuania and Frais Embal from France emerged victorious, capturing the grand prizes amidst a competitive field of 35 finalists.

Top Honors in the Industry

Vičiūnai Group was awarded the Best Retail Product title for their innovative Smoked Herring Slices – Natural Flavor. Crafted from minimal ingredients, this ready-to-eat product boasts a clean, smoky flavor that has been praised by the judges for its well-balanced taste, meticulous slicing, and visually appealing packaging.

Frais Embal garnered the Best HORECA (hotel, restaurant, catering) Product award with their expertly crafted Salmon Roll. This offering features thinly sliced, fresh salmon presented in modified atmosphere packaging, facilitating consistent portions and easing preparation, thus enhancing both restaurant efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Special Awards Recognizing More Talents

In addition to the grand prize winners, four special awards were presented:

• Lerøy Seafood Group (Norway): Honored with the Convenience special prize for their Fish Taco Sticks, featuring a signature jalapeño and lime spice blend coated in a crunchy gluten-free breading, perfect for family taco nights.
• Sykes Seafood Limited (United Kingdom): Awarded the Retail Packaging special prize for Argentinian Red Shrimp with Chimichurri Butter, packed in a recyclable aluminum tray with an attractive sleeve that highlights the finished product and provides detailed information.
• Iceco Fish (Lithuania): Secured the award for Best Seafood Product Line for their gourmet herring tartares, which blend premium Atlantic herring with high-quality ingredients, available in original, Scandinavian, and herb flavors.
• Reunimer (Reunion Island): Received the Innovation award for their Marlin Gravelax, showcasing a creative adaptation of the Nordic curing technique on marlin fillets, resulting in a dense texture and beautiful appearance.

Global Representation and Expert Judging

The commitment to quality and innovation was underscored as the award winners were selected from a diverse array of finalists representing 16 countries. Attendees were invited to explore the showcased products in the Galleria area between Halls 4 and 5, open now through April 23.

An expert panel of judges assessed the submissions, including Raül Cervera (Seafood Purchasing Director, La Sirena, Spain), Madeleine Hüffelmann (Private Label Buyer, Rewe Group, Germany), Damien Bocahu (Seafood Buyer, Picard Surgelés, France), and Percy Addo (Procurement Manager, Wonderfield Group, UK). Mr. Cervera led the jury in their evaluations.

Evaluation Criteria

Judges based their scoring on critical factors including taste, overall eating experience, packaging, marketability, convenience, nutritional value, and innovation. The integrity of the judging process was ensured with scores verified by PwC.

As the seafood industry continues to evolve, the Seafood Excellence Global Awards serve as a benchmark for quality, creativity, and sustainability, celebrating those who push the boundaries of culinary excellence.