Global Production and Markets
This session kicks off the Shrimp Summit by defining the state of the global shrimp industry across production sectors and geographic regions, with special consideration of emerging market forces. Expert analysts will review production volumes and trends in the major producing countries, consumption patterns and pricing in key markets, and prospects for future growth. A panel of producers, buyers, and industry analysts will examine the principal factors affecting the industry outlook, including disease outbreaks, regulatory and trade issues, technological innovations, financial conditions, changing consumer preferences, and sustainability challenges. Together, these perspectives will provide context for the presentations and discussions that follow throughout the summit.
Travis Larkin is President and CEO of Seafood Exchange, a seafood importing and wholesale company based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. He joined Seafood Exchange in 1997 from Darden Restaurants, where he handled shrimp procurement for Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and Bahama Breeze. He possesses extensive experience with production and procurement issues in Latin America and Asia, as well as product development and market issues relating to retail and food service markets in the U.S. Larkin is actively involved in the Global Seafood Alliance and in the National Fisheries Institute, where he serves as chair of the Nominating Committee. He also has served on NFI’s Executive Committee, on the founding board of managers for its Better Seafood Board, and as president of the National Shrimp Industry Association. Travis earned an MBA at Brigham Young University.
Since joining Rabobank International in 2005, Gorjan Nikolik (45) has been an industry analyst focusing on the global seafood sector including aquaculture, wild-catch, seafood trade and processing. In his primary role, he works as a senior sector expert to Rabobank departments such as Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Finance, Venture Capital, Credit Risk Management and the Relationship Bankers. He is a regular speaker on global seafood and aquaculture conferences and has published research reports covering the seafood industry.
Kontali Analyse AS is an independent provider of analysis, mainly for the aquaculture and fishing industries. Besides delivering analysis for the seafood sector, the company also publishes a wide range of publications and reports. Ragnar is a key contributor to Ragnar Tveterås’ global farmed finfish production data and forecasts each year at GOAL.
Michael Berto is the Merchandising Director for Frozen Seafood at Walmart US. He has been with Walmart for over 7 years in multiple roles managing several protein categories. In his current role he has responsibility for delivering high quality sustainably sourced seafood, at Every Day Low Prices for the Walmart Customer. He is passionate about providing solutions for the customer and building strong relationships with his supplier partners.
Sandro Coglitore is a dedicated professional with more than 30 years of experience in the shrimp industry in Ecuador. He has comprehensive knowledge of managing a shrimp producer and exporter company vertically integrated by three hatcheries, five shrimp farms and two processing plants. Recently, his shrimp experience has expanded borders with Omarsa’s investment in Panama, consisting of a laboratory, three shrimp farms and a processing plant. Among his skills is the ability of deep market analysis and forecast for promoting sales. An assiduous promoter of sustainable shrimp production, Coglitore helped Omarsa become the first shrimp exporter worldwide to obtain the ASC Certification.
Matt Livesay is Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer for Red Lobster, the world’s largest seafood restaurant company. In his current role he is responsible for leading all of Red Lobster’s Supply Chain activities including the strategic sourcing of seafood, commodities, beverage, and equipment as well as foodservice distribution, third–party logistics, sourcing sustainability compliance and other services for over 550 locations globally. Matt also oversees the Total Quality and Food Safety team that is responsible for food safety, product specifications, quality and regulatory compliance, and supplier and restaurant inspection programs.
Robins McIntosh has been involved in shrimp aquaculture for over 30 years. He was responsible for developing the first zero-water exchange, intensive and revolutionary shrimp farm in Belize. His initial work in shrimp aquaculture was with Weyerhaeuser in Florida and Brazil. Later, after four years developing and managing the algae-to-fuel program for the U.S. DOE, he returned to Asia, where he was involved in the development and management of Thai Hawaiian Hatcheries in Thailand.
Robins is currently employed as Executive Vice President for technical development of shrimp culture within the Charoen Pokphand Group. He joined the Group in 2001 to assist with the restructuring of shrimp culture in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Under his direction, hatcheries were modernized, genetic programs were initiated, and farm management was made more systematic and biosecure. Robins continues to work on increasing the efficiency of shrimp culture and finding solutions to eradicate EMS/APHND and EHP diseases in shrimp. He is today also CEO of Home Grown Shrimp, a US subsidiary of CPF focussed on producing shrimp in indoor facilities in the USA.
