Seafood Expo North America 2026

About the Event Detail Information Event Seafood Expo North America / Seafood Processing North America 2026 Dates March 15 , March 16 , March 17, 2026 Venue Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center Former Venue Name Boston Convention & Exhibition Center , BCEC Address 415 Summer Street City Boston State / Region Massachusetts Country United States Event Type B2B Seafood Trade Expo , Food Sourcing Show , Seafood Processing Exhibition Primary Category Food & Beverages Secondary Categories Industrial Engineering , Packing & Packaging , Logistics & Transportation , Agriculture & Forestry Audience Reach Global 2026 Attendance 19,000+ seafood professionals Countries Represented 107 Exhibitors 1,215 Exhibitor Countries 50 Key Buyers 600+ annually The organizer describes it as North America's largest seafood trade exposition, serving seafood buyers across retail, restaurant, catering, foodservice and processing. 1️⃣ Who Attends, BUYERS / ATTENDEES The commercial buyer audience is excellent. Tier 1, Retail Seafood Buyers Supermarket Buyers , Grocery Buyers , Seafood Category Managers , Fresh Seafood Buyers , Frozen Seafood Buyers , Private Label Buyers , Retail Purchasing Directors , Wholesale Club Buyers They purchase: Fresh Fish , Frozen Fish , Shellfish , Shrimp , Salmon , Tuna , Crab , Lobster , Value-Added Seafood , Prepared Seafood , Private Label Products Tier 2, Foodservice Buyers Restaurant Purchasing Directors , Restaurant Group Buyers , Food & Beverage Directors , Executive Chefs , Procurement Directors , Hospitality Purchasing Managers , Foodservice Category Managers Organizations include: Restaurant Chains , Hotels , Resorts , Casinos , Cruise Lines , Catering Companies , Contract Foodservice Companies Tier 3, Distributors and Wholesalers Seafood Distributors , Foodservice Distributors , Seafood Wholesalers , Grocery Distributors , Specialty Food Distributors Titles: Buyer , Purchasing Manager , Procurement Director , Category Manager , VP Purchasing , Director of Procurement Tier 4, Importers Seafood Importers , Fish Importers , Shrimp Importers , Frozen Seafood Importers , International Food Importers Tier 5, Processors Processors become buyers if your client sells: Processing Equipment , Packaging , Refrigeration , Automation , Inspection Equipment , Logistics , Cold Chain Technology The organizer specifically identifies attendees from: Distributor , Ecommerce , Grocery , Hotel , Import/Export , Manufacturer , Processor , Restaurant , Supermarket , Wholesale , Airline , Cruise Line , Catering Firm , Government/Military , Hospital , Resort , School. 2️⃣ Buyer Intent This is one of the strongest statistics for your attendee-list analysis. According to the organizer's 2026 visitor data: 97% of visitors looking for suppliers achieved their sourcing objective and 19,000+ seafood professionals attended The event also runs a formal Key Buyer Program with more than 600 high-volume purchasers annually. That means this is not primarily an educational conference. It is a sourcing marketplace. 3️⃣ Attendee Geographic Origin The organizer published actual 2026 visitor geography: Region Share North America 79% Europe 7% Asia 7% Central & South America 6% Rest of World 1% Geographic targeting priority United States , Canada , Mexico followed by: United Kingdom , Spain , France , Norway , Netherlands , Denmark , Germany then: Japan , China , Vietnam , India , Thailand , Indonesia , South Korea and: Chile , Ecuador , Peru , Brazil , Argentina 4️⃣ Audience Reach Global But for commercial outreach I would classify it: North America , Tier 1 Europe , Tier 2 Asia , Tier 2 Latin America , Tier 2 North America accounting for 79% of visitors makes US and Canadian seafood companies the most obvious Apollo starting point. 5️⃣ Estimated Attendance For 2026, we now have a strong organizer-supported figure: 19,000+ seafood professionals The 2026 event also featured: 1,215 exhibiting companies , 50 exhibitor countries , 247,915 net square feet of exhibit space. Database planning number Use: 19,000+ total seafood professionals rather than estimating 15,000 or 20,000. 6️⃣ Key Buyer Program Seafood Expo North America has one of the clearest buyer-identification programs among food trade fairs. The official program brings: 600+ Key Buyers annually These are specifically described as: High-volume seafood purchasers in multi-unit retail and foodservice establishments. Their benefits even include: Dedicated buyer lounge , private supplier meetings , early exhibit hall access , complimentary registration That makes this group extremely valuable. 7️⃣ Sample BUYER Companies, Retail The official Key Buyer Program provides a sample list of companies that have participated historically. High-value retail buyers Buyer Company Type Website Ahold Delhaize Grocery retail group aholddelhaize.com Albertsons Companies Supermarket group albertsonscompanies.com ALDI Grocery retailer aldi.us Amazon Fresh Grocery ecommerce amazon.com/fresh BJ's Wholesale Club Wholesale club bjs.com Costco Wholesale Warehouse retail costco.com HelloFresh Meal-kit retailer hellofresh.com Hy-Vee Supermarket chain hy-vee.com Lidl US Grocery retailer lidl.com Loblaw Companies Grocery retail loblaw.ca Meijer Supermarket / hypermarket meijer.com Publix Supermarket publix.com Sprouts Farmers Market Grocery sprouts.com Target Mass retail target.com Trader Joe's Grocery retail traderjoes.com Walmart / Sam's Club Mass retail / wholesale walmart.com , samsclub.com Wegmans Food Markets Supermarket wegmans.com Whole Foods Market Premium grocery wholefoodsmarket.com WinCo Foods Grocery wincofoods.com These are official sample past Key Buyers, not a claim that every company attended in 2026. 8️⃣ Sample BUYER Companies, Foodservice Official Key Buyer examples also include major commercial foodservice accounts: Bloomin' Brands , Brinker International , Carnival Cruise Line , Cheesecake Factory , Compass Group , Darden Restaurants , Disneyland , Golden Corral , Hilton , Landry's Restaurants , Legal Sea Foods , Marriott International , MGM Resorts , Norwegian Cruise Line , Panera Bread , Red Lobster , Sodexo , TGI Fridays Particularly attractive buyer accounts Darden Restaurants Website: darden.com Compass Group Website: compass-group.com Marriott International Website: marriott.com Hilton Website: hilton.com Carnival Cruise Line Website: carnival.com Norwegian Cruise Line Website: ncl.com Red Lobster Website: redlobster.com Legal Sea Foods Website: legalseafoods.com Again, treat these as historical Key Buyer examples and strong prospect accounts, not automatically as confirmed 2026 attendees. 9️⃣ Best Buyer Company Types For a seafood supplier, I would rank buyers: Tier 1 Supermarkets , Grocery Chains , Seafood Distributors , Seafood Importers , Foodservice Distributors Tier 2 Restaurant Chains , Wholesale Clubs , Hotels , Resorts , Cruise Lines , Contract Foodservice Companies Tier 3 Ecommerce Grocery , Meal Kit Companies , Institutional Foodservice , Casino Groups , Caterers Tier 4 Processors , Seafood Manufacturers , Private Label Manufacturers 🔟 Best Job Profiles Retail Buyers Seafood Buyer , Senior Seafood Buyer , Seafood Category Manager , Category Manager , Fresh Seafood Buyer , Frozen Seafood Buyer , Grocery Buyer , Merchandising Manager , Director of Merchandising Procurement Director of Procurement , Procurement Director , Purchasing Director , VP Purchasing , Purchasing Manager , Procurement Manager , Strategic Sourcing Manager Foodservice Food & Beverage Director , Director of Food & Beverage , Corporate Executive Chef , Director of Culinary , Foodservice Purchasing Manager , Restaurant Purchasing Director Distribution Seafood Buyer , Category Buyer , Purchasing Director , Procurement Director , VP Merchandising , Category Manager Importers Import Manager , Director of Imports , Procurement Director , Purchasing Manager , President , Owner Apollo-ready Job Title String Seafood Buyer , Senior Buyer , Buyer , Seafood Category Manager , Category Manager , Fresh Seafood Buyer , Frozen Seafood Buyer , Director of Procurement , Procurement Director , Purchasing Director , VP Purchasing , Purchasing Manager , Procurement Manager , Strategic Sourcing Manager , Director of Food and Beverage , Food and Beverage Director , Director of Merchandising , Merchandising Manager , Import Manager , Director of Imports 1️⃣1️⃣ Best Apollo Industries Using your Apollo industry taxonomy: Tier 1 Food & Beverages , Food Production , Wholesale , Retail , Import & Export , Restaurants Tier 2 Supermarkets , Hospitality , Fishery , Logistics & Supply Chain Tier 3 Leisure, Travel & Tourism , Package/Freight Delivery , Warehousing Best Apollo Industry String Food & Beverages , Food Production , Wholesale , Retail , Import & Export , Restaurants , Supermarkets , Hospitality , Fishery , Logistics & Supply Chain For seafood buyers only, I would start with: Food & Beverages , Food Production , Wholesale , Retail , Import & Export , Restaurants , Supermarkets , Hospitality 1️⃣2️⃣ Apollo Keywords Copy-paste: seafood , seafood distributor , seafood importer , seafood wholesaler , fish distributor , fish importer , seafood buyer , fresh seafood , frozen seafood , shellfish , shrimp , salmon , tuna , lobster , crab , foodservice distributor , seafood processor , seafood retail , fish wholesale , seafood sourcing Retail-specific supermarket , grocery retailer , grocery chain , seafood department , fresh foods , specialty grocery Foodservice-specific restaurant group , restaurant chain , hospitality group , foodservice , contract foodservice , hotel group , resort , cruise line 1️⃣3️⃣ What Buyers Source Product categories include: Fresh Fish , Frozen Fish , Salmon , Tuna , Shrimp , Prawns , Lobster , Crab , Scallops , Oysters , Mussels , Clams , Squid , Octopus , Value-Added Seafood , Smoked Seafood , Canned Seafood , Prepared Seafood , Private Label Seafood , Ready-to-Eat Seafood Seafood Processing North America also adds: Processing Equipment , Packaging Equipment , Refrigeration , Freezing Equipment , Cold Storage , Traceability , Food Safety Technology , Logistics , Automation , Inspection Equipment The organizer describes the combined show as covering seafood products plus processing and packaging equipment and services. 1️⃣4️⃣ Buyer Engagement Attendees use the event for: Supplier Discovery , Product Sampling , Seafood Sourcing , Vendor Meetings , Price Discussions , Contract Negotiation , Distributor Meetings , Import Partnerships , Private Label Discussions , Product Launches , Procurement Meetings , Equipment Demonstrations The organizer explicitly positions the expo as a venue to: discover products , sample products , source products , meet current suppliers , find new suppliers. And 97% of 2026 visitors who wanted to meet new suppliers achieved that objective. 1️⃣5️⃣ Best Buyer Segments Segment A, Supermarkets Supermarket Chains , Grocery Chains , Specialty Grocery , Wholesale Clubs Titles: Seafood Buyer , Seafood Category Manager , Category Manager , Purchasing Director , Merchandising Director Segment B, Seafood Distributors Titles: Buyer , Purchasing Manager , Procurement Director , Category Manager , President Segment C, Importers Titles: Import Manager , Procurement Manager , Purchasing Director , Owner , President Segment D, Restaurant Groups Titles: Director of Procurement , Purchasing Director , Corporate Executive Chef , Food & Beverage Director , Category Manager Segment E, Hotels & Resorts Titles: Director of Food and Beverage , Corporate Chef , Procurement Director , Purchasing Director Segment F, Cruise Lines Titles: Food & Beverage Director , Procurement Director , Culinary Director , Category Manager 1️⃣6️⃣ Processing Equipment Buyers If your client sells machinery, packaging or processing equipment, do not use the same list. Target: Seafood Processors , Seafood Manufacturers , Frozen Food Manufacturers , Fish Processing Plants , Value-Added Seafood Manufacturers Best titles: Plant Manager , Operations Director , Production Director , Engineering Director , Procurement Director , Maintenance Manager , Packaging Manager , Processing Manager , COO Apollo industries: Food Production , Fishery , Machinery , Industrial Automation , Packaging & Containers 1️⃣7️⃣ Geographic Apollo Setup Countries United States , Canada Then expand: Mexico , United Kingdom , Spain , France , Norway , Netherlands , Chile , Ecuador , Peru US states Strong seafood and food-buying markets: Massachusetts , New York , New Jersey , California , Florida , Texas , Washington , Illinois , Pennsylvania , Maryland , Virginia , North Carolina , Georgia , Maine For supermarket and restaurant headquarters, don't restrict targeting only to coastal states. 1️⃣8️⃣ Buyer Quality Score Metric Score Seafood buyer relevance 10/10 Retail buyer relevance 10/10 Foodservice buyer relevance 10/10 Importer / distributor relevance 10/10 Procurement concentration 9/10 International reach 10/10 Processing buyer relevance 10/10 Overall B2B attendee-list value 10/10 The combination of 19,000+ professionals , 107 countries , 600+ Key Buyers annually , 97% supplier-sourcing success makes this one of the strongest buyer-oriented food events in North America. ⭐ Recommended Apollo Setup For seafood suppliers Industries: Food & Beverages , Food Production , Wholesale , Retail , Import & Export , Restaurants , Supermarkets , Hospitality Job Titles: Seafood Buyer , Senior Buyer , Buyer , Seafood Category Manager , Category Manager , Fresh Seafood Buyer , Frozen Seafood Buyer , Purchasing Director , Procurement Director , Purchasing Manager , Procurement Manager , Import Manager , Director of Food and Beverage Keywords: seafood distributor , seafood importer , seafood wholesaler , fish distributor , seafood retail , fresh seafood , frozen seafood , seafood sourcing , foodservice distributor Best company types Supermarkets , Grocery Chains , Seafood Distributors , Seafood Importers , Foodservice Distributors , Restaurant Groups , Hotels , Cruise Lines , Wholesale Clubs ⚠️ Important attendee-list note The organizer explicitly states that Seafood Expo North America and its official vendors do not sell attendee or customer lists and warns that third parties claiming to sell an official event attendee list are not affiliated with the show. So I would market independently researched data as something like: Seafood Expo North America Buyer Profile , Seafood Industry Decision-Makers , Relevant Seafood Buyers rather than presenting it as an official Seafood Expo attendee database unless you have independently verified attendance records. 🎯 Client-specific buyer matching Send me your client's website. For this event, the right buyer depends heavily on the product. A seafood exporter should target importers , distributors , supermarkets , foodservice buyers. A packaging company should target processors , manufacturers , packaging managers. A refrigeration or processing-equipment client should target plants , operations , engineering , production and procurement leaders. Once I review the website, I can give you the exact best buyer company names , websites , Apollo industries , job titles , keywords , countries , US states , employee-size filters , priority tiers , companies to exclude.