How Italians Want Norwegian Traditional Fish

At the Norwegian Seafood Council's latest seminar for cured fish products, we meet Paolo Monti. Paolo is the fourth generation in the company Foods Import dei Fratelli Monti. For 120 years, they have imported baccalà and stockfish. In modern times, the company has focused on the production and innovation of traditional seafood products.

– Soon, only those over sixty will be making dishes from stockfish and baccalà from scratch. Ready-made dishes are the future, he believes.

He talks about ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat dishes made from traditional fish, which can be put straight into the oven, microwave, or pot. 

– I believe that traditional dishes with stockfish and baccalà will be important for Italians in the future as well. But we producers must keep up with the times, says Paolo Monti.

Over several years, Italians' consumption of stockfish and baccalà has been declining, which has also caused concern for Norwegian exporters. The decline in consumption is largely due to younger people having neither the time nor the knowledge to soak and prepare the traditional raw materials. Cooking should be quick and easy.

However, Paolo Monti is not worried about the future of traditional food. He believes new eating habits create new opportunities. 

– The young people want to keep the tradition and preserve the atmosphere, memories, tastes, and smells from grandmother's pots. But we need to give them some easy solutions, says Monti.

Cautious Optimism

New traditions and the future of cured seafood products were also important topics during the seminar. The latest news on product flows, exports, economy, sales, and trends were presented to a full house of Norwegian and Italian actors working with cured seafood products. 

–Despite tougher times, lower cod quotas, and inflation, we see cautious optimism in the Italian market. Among other things, many believe that a shift towards products that are easier to prepare is key to further developing the market, says the Norwegian Seafood Council's director for Italy, Tom-Jørgen Gangsø. 

Norwegian Seafood Council´s Tom-Jørgen Gangsø hosted and organized the conventional seminar in Naples. FOTO: Norwegian Seafood Council

At the same time, inflation and food prices have slowed down, and Italians are more optimistic about the future and the economy than they were only a year ago. In addition, Norwegian stockfish exports have remained relatively stable so far this year, and although Norwegian exports of clipfish and saltfish are somewhat lower than last year, Norway continues to gain market shares from competitors. This was highlighted by the Norwegian Seafood Council's seafood analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, during his presentation. 

When it comes to the consumption of stoccafisso and baccalà in Italian homes, as well as sales in Italian shops and restaurants, there are both challenges and opportunities. The tradition, health benefits, and good taste are the main reasons why Italians choose to eat stockfish.  

Sales and Consumption

Price increases are a general challenge for seafood consumption, also in Italy. Last year, home consumption of all types of seafood noticeably decreased compared to the previous year, with one exception: pangasius. In volume, home consumption of this relatively inexpensive food fish increased by a full 50 percent. 

In the supermarket chain Multicedi, they see the same trend. The chain has 460 supermarkets spread over central and southern parts of Italy. In addition, they sell food products to professional actors in the restaurant industry. 

– Customers, for example, more often choose salted ling (which is cheaper) than saltfish and clipfish of cod compared to earlier, says Luigi Colucci at Multicedi. 

He also mentions that the sales of cured products (with barcodes and fixed weight) have a downward trend, with one important exception: ready-made and ready-to-cook dishes. The sales trend for ready-made dishes in smaller packages has been pointing upwards for a good while. 

Read more about the Italian market for Norwegian seafood.

The trend is confirmed by the analysis agency Nielsen IQ, which has looked at retail sales throughout Italy. Between 2022 and 2023, there was significant growth in the category "ready-to-eat products," both for stoccafisso and baccalà.

For products in the fixed weight category, sales of stockfish increased by 11 percent in volume and 18 percent in value. For baccalà in fixed weight, sales in this period fell by 10 percent in volume and 2 percent in value. The figures from Multicedi and Nielsen IQ support Paolo Monti's statements that "ready-made dishes are the future." 

Retail tour: Rune Stokvold from Glea AS found several ready-to-cook products of dried fish and baccalà in the supermarkets in Naples. FOTO: Neumann/Norwegian Seafood Council

Restaurant trends

In Italian restaurants, there is a positive development for traditional seafood dishes: The number of servings of stoccafisso and baccalà increased from 43 million to 45 million between 2022 and last year, according to Linda Moreschi from the analysis agency Circana.  

Circana has also investigated what is important for people when dining out, with a special focus on dishes made from stockfish and baccalà. 

• It is those over 35 years old who most often choose stoccafisso or baccalà at restaurants. 

• Nearly 7 out of 10 say they choose dishes that they usually do not or cannot make themselves at home. 

• Many are very interested in new or special experiences when dining out, such as new dishes and good service. 

• Many are more loyal to restaurants that focus on sustainability, healthy food, the origin of the food, and that can accommodate special dietary needs. 

• 6 out of 10 say that price is important when choosing a restaurant, and that they have changed their habits towards cheaper restaurants and fewer or more affordable dishes. A significant growth for fast-food chains is likely a result of this. 

New Stockfish Survey

During the seminar, Andrea Succi from Nielsen IQ presented a brand-new stockfish survey. It shows that tradition, health, and good taste are the main reasons why Italians choose to eat stockfish. 

• Nearly 7 out of 10 know that the stockfish comes from Norway, and 8 out of 10 believe that origin is important. 

• Additionally, the awareness of the PGI label for stockfish (protected geographical indication) is high, and 2 out of 3 indicate that they are willing to pay more for stockfish with the blue and yellow label. Approximately the same number say they are willing to pay more for stockfish labeled with Seafood from Norway. 

• At the same time, many still believe that price, availability, and lack of knowledge about preparation are obstacles to choosing stockfish when shopping. 
   

– The conclusion is that clearer origin labeling, simpler recipes, and more ready-to-eat products can increase sales, summarizes Succi. 

For the Norwegian and Italian industry actors, much of the insight shared at the seminar, both from Nielsen and others, is important information. This also applies to Gangsø. 

– We take the latest news from all the presentations held into our further work to market Norwegian stockfish, clipfish, and salted fish in Italy, he says. 

The Future

It is in the northern part of Italy that the development and innovation of "ready-to-cook dishes" have come the furthest. Ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook stoccafisso and baccalà dishes are quite a common sight at retail stores. But the trend has also begun to show in the south. 

– It is promising for the future that ready-made dishes are on the rise, believe both Rune Stokvold from Glea AS and Bjørg Helen Nøstvold from Norfra. 

Together with the Seafood Council, both Norwegian exporters participated in a retail tour in the Naples area the day after the seminar. 

Bjørg Helen Nøstvold, CEO Norfra AS. FOTO: Neumann/Norwegian Seafood Council

– There is great potential in further developing the trend we are seeing now. Moreover, the ready-made products give us more value for money at a time when raw materials are expensive, continues Nøstvold. 

Paolo Monti is determined to give customers even more of what they want. Today, Monti produces portion packs of ready-soaked stoccafisso and baccalà, both frozen and fresh. But in his mind, he has many ideas about stuffed olives with baccalà, fried stockfish sticks, and other delicacies that can meet the younger generation's desire for quick, easy, and ready-made dishes.