Taking into account ongoing government and public concerns caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, the 2021 Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America trade show has again been cancelled. The annual exhibition in Boston, which was called off in 2020 for the first time in 40 years due to the Covid-19 health crisis, but scheduled to take place this year from March 14-16, was subsequently postponed to July 11-13 by the organizer, Diversified Communications.
“We were determined to host an in-person event for our seafood community and have worked diligently over the past several months seeking a way to safely make the July 2021 edition happen,” said Liz Plizga, group vice president of Portland, Maine-based Diversified Communications. “However, current Covid restrictions limiting the capacity of indoor venues and the state of the reopening plan for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as related to convention facilities, have recently made it evident that we cannot move forward with planning an event like ours.”
So, in anticipation that the show will hopefully go on next year, organizers of the 2022 edition of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America are sticking to previously scheduled dates of March 13-15 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, MA.
According to Diversified Communications, conversations with customers including high-volume buyers in retail and foodservice sectors, have confirmed they will be ready to meet in-person in 2022. Buyers have expressed the importance and high value of face-to-face meetings in maintaining current relationships and finding new products and suppliers.
“We recognize that business continuity is important to our seafood community, and until we meet again in-person in Boston, we will be reviewing opportunities to connect buyers and sellers digitally,” said Plizga.
Meanwhile, Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, also produced by Diversified Communications, is still on track to take place this year in Barcelona, Spain, from September 7-9.
