“Fresh From Florida” Presence at Seafood Expo North America Generates More Than $42 Million in Estimated Sales

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Erin Gillespie
March 18, 2015	(850) 617-7737 Twitter: @FDACSNews
“Fresh From Florida” Presence at Seafood Expo North America Generates More Than $42 Million in Estimated Sales Nine Florida Companies Feature “Fresh From Florida” Products at Annual Event in Boston TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With support from the Florida Department of Agriculture and ConsumerServices, nine Florida companies reported more than $42 million in sales of seafood products at the three-day Seafood Expo North America this week. That is up from the $25 million in estimated sales at last year’s Expo. “Stores and restaurants across the country and the globe choose ‘Fresh From Florida’ seafood because they know it is second to none,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “Our department is proud to help bring Florida companies to the Expo, where they can showcase their delicious products.” The event, formerly known as the International Boston Seafood Show, hosted the following Florida companies: Ariel Seafoods, Destin Florida Alligator Marketing Education Committee Frenchy's Stone Crab Company, Palm Harbor Shaw's Southern Belle Frozen Foods, Jacksonville Southeastern SeaProducts, Melbourne Stokes Fish Company, Leesburg Sun Shrimp, Fort Myers Water Street Seafood, Apalachicola Wood's Fisheries,  Port St. Joe On display were snapper, grouper, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, stone crab claws, farm-raised shrimp, farm-raised clams, alligator meat and wild-caught shrimp. Chef Justin Timineri, Florida's Culinary Ambassador, cooked and offered samples, including fresh Florida grouper, snapper, shrimp, clams and frog legs, to interested buyers. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services works with Florida seafood companies to bring their products to the Expo, which is the largest seafood show in North America – hosting more than 1,200 exhibitors and 20,000 buyers from more than 100 countries around the globe. Florida ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for fresh seafood production. Florida fishermen harvest more than 80 million pounds of seafood annually, including all of the nation's spiny lobster, 99 percent of stone crabs and 84 percent of grouper, pompano, mullet, pink shrimp and Spanish mackerel. More than 85 different varieties of seafood are harvested in Florida. For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visitwww.FreshFromFlorida.com.

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