Retailers Promote Local Shrimp as Sales Climb

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Retailers are hefting up promotion of Louisiana wild-caught shrimp as the Lenten selling season gets into high gear. In Louisiana, where the population is predominantly Catholic, Lent has a huge impact on seafood sales. The season rivals the Christmas holidays for shrimp sales, said officials at Associated Grocers of Baton Rouge, which supplies more than 200 independents. One of them, Rouse Supermarkets, Thibodeau, sees shrimp sales soar 35% above Christmastime sales, Charles Hamblen, the 15-unit chain's director of meat/seafood, told SN. Like other retailers and suppliers here, Rouse Supermarkets takes the opportunity to promote Louisiana wild-caught shrimp in different ways. “Our private-label packs say, ‘Louisiana -- Shrimply the Best.‘ That stresses that it‘s local and that‘s our own slogan,” Hamblen said. The company also features shrimp each week in its circular and sometimes has local shrimpers visit its stores to talk to customers. -- Roseanne Harper