This case study provides an overview of the surimi market in the EU, examining global and European production, the structure of the processing industry, and recent trends in imports and exports.
Surimi is a concentrate of whitefish proteins made primarily from wild-caught species such as Alaska pollock, blue whiting, hake and blue grenadier. Global production remained broadly stable at around 2 million tonnes per year and reached nearly 2,1 million tonnes in 2023. China accounted for approximately three quarters of global output, while the United States remained the second-largest producer. In Europe, processing is concentrated mainly in Lithuania, France, Spain, Poland and Belgium.
The EU market relies heavily on imported raw material. In 2025, extra-EU imports reached approximately 62.800 tonnes, valued at 148 million euros. The United States was by far the leading supplier, accounting for more than half of both import volume and value. Frozen Alaska pollock surimi represented almost half of EU imports, followed by prepared surimi products and frozen surimi made from other whitefish species.
Spain and France were the EU’s largest surimi import markets, each importing around 20.000 tonnes in 2025. Lithuania also played a central role as a processing and redistribution hub, importing raw surimi and exporting finished or semi-finished products across Europe and to third countries.
EU exports remained relatively stable at around 18.000 tonnes in 2025, with Lithuania accounting for more than half of total exports. The United Kingdom was the main destination, absorbing approximately 55% of export volume, followed by Ukraine. Overall, the study highlights a mature and concentrated EU market, characterised by strong dependence on US raw material, an important intra-EU trade in processed products, and sustained demand for convenient and ready-to-cook seafood products.