Assess Marketing Opportunities for High Protein, Low Ash Fish Meals Made from Fish Scrap

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Bio-Oregon is developing an innovative process to convert seafood waste into hydrolyzed and non-hydrolyzed high protein, low ash fish meals. Successful introduction of unique fish meals made from seafood processing waste into competitive markets requires strategic marketing. Businesses developing new products need a marketing plan to link the activities of technological development with an intimate understanding of potential customers. At this time, Bio-Oregon has not developed a plan to market the hydrolyzed and non hydrolyzed protein fish meals it has demonstrated it can recover from fish scrap. Although it appears that these new products can be manufactured economically and have industry leading attributes and benefits, lack of market planning means the company may make un-needed expenditures and achieve poor market positioning. Development of a preliminary marketing plan will help ensure that it is economic to convert seafood processing waste into unique, high protein fish meals. This success, in turn, will increase jobs and wages in rural, fishing communities. In addition, the results of this project will guide Bio-Oregon to focus future market and product research on achieving the best customer position and highest possible values for its products. Finally, this research can be a model for other small businesses that need strategic marketing to compliment product development strengths.