The Carteret, New Jersey supplier has used their allocated funding to complete advertising campaigns in focused export markets highlighting the health benefits of their surimi products with informative videos. They also used their funding to defer the costs associated with shipping product samples and completing in-store sampling events.

This past February Aquamar was able to report earning over $700,000 in sales with these marketing efforts while also projecting to complete over $1.3M more in sales over the next twelve months. They also gained 14 new foreign buyer contacts and established 6 new agent relationships. This is a 77% increase in growth from their sales from using the Branded Program in 2021.

Aquamar is a supplier of surimi seafood products. They specialize in varieties such as sticks, flakes, chunks, and shreds. They produce the “highest quality and sustainable surimi products in styles that met the needs of foodservice, retailers, value-added processors, and consumers.”

They joined Food Export-Northeast’s Branded Program in 2019. Since they started working with Food Export, they have also participated in various other Food Export programs and activities including webinars, Buyers Missions, and the Trade Lead and Online Product Catalog service. 

Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.