
As summer begins to wind down, lobster rolls remain a seasonal favorite and an easy way to capture guests looking for one last taste of the coast. Whether served Maine-style with a light touch of mayo or Connecticut-style with warm drawn butter, lobster rolls continue to deliver premium menu appeal throughout August and into early fall.
Our Claw, Knuckle & Leg Lobster Meat (LOB635), packed in 6/2 lb frozen pouches from Canada, offers operators a convenient, labor-saving solution for featuring this classic seafood dish. The combination of claw, knuckle, and leg meat provides the sweet, rich lobster flavor guests expect while eliminating the time and labor associated with breaking down whole lobsters. With consistent quality and easy portioning, it's an ideal option for lobster rolls, seafood salads, pasta features, and other coastal-inspired specials.
As diners savor the final weeks of summer, now is the perfect time to highlight lobster rolls on your menu and take advantage of the continued demand for this beloved seasonal offering.
Contact your JJ Account Manager for pricing, availability, and more information on Claw, Knuckle & Leg Lobster Meat (LOB635).
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Icelandic Fish
Fairly stable market the last few weeks in terms of supply and pricing structure.
Rainbow Trout
Continue to see shorts on 7-9 domestic butterfly and 7-9oz clear cut fillet. This is due to lack of harvest because they are letting fish grow since the heat is causing them not to eat as much. It should be up to sustainable levels again sometime in Q4. In the meantime, looking into bringing in 7-9 butterfly from another domestic vendor.
We will be out of Columbian 7-9oz butterfly until 8/26. This is due to being OOS.
Farmed Salmon
Chile: Harvest volumes are expected to remain relatively flat through August, and September as producers transition between production cycles. More significant production growth is anticipated beginning in October, when Chile enters their peak harvest season.
Norway: Harvest volumes are expected to increase over the coming months as Norwegian producers move into their seasonal summer harvest cycle. Smaller sizes are the dominant size this coming week. Pricing is going up as Canadian production is down and inventories are being moved to Norway to fill weight.
Canada: Canada's West Coast salmon has slowed with low volume being processed.
East Coast Canada continues to harvest limited volumes, and supply from the region remains relatively constrained. Pricing remains high. Look for pricing to remain high over coming weeks on Canadian fish. This will affect all salmon pricing over the coming weeks.
Hawaiian Kanpachi
Stable in price, great availability this week. Excellent fat content for a silky raw preparation or a buttery cooked preparation for a unique center-of plate option.
Atlantic Halibut
Pricing is expected to remain stable through the week. These fish are producing large, thick fillets, from Nova Scotia, Canada.
Pacific Halibut
The pacific fish will remain more expensive than their Atlantic counterparts as is typical. Fish this week are from Cordova and Nome, AK.
Wild King Salmon
Beautiful troll-caught Oregon kings are here from Westport, WA. The trolls arrive with heads intact, ready for an ice display. We also have net-caught Kings from Petersburg, AK. These net kings in both Alaska and Washington are in their prime runs for the year and most affordable from now through the next few weeks.
Wild Coho Salmon
Cohos kick off a bit later in the year than the other species, but they are worth the wait! These fillets are slightly larger than a sockeye produces, milder in flavor, with high fat content and rich orange color. Lightly salt or brine for half an hour to an hour before cooking to keep that fat in the fillet during your cooking.
Sablefish aka Black Cod
Beautiful Alaskan black cod is landing this week from Neah Bay, WA. Limited availability for fresh fish (vs refreshed/previously frozen) has pushed this price up but it remains a great value at a mid-range price point.
Fresh Flounder
Raw material costs have softened this week due to drop in demand and increased landings. A mixture of back to school and beach seasons winding down has caused a drop in demand. Fishing remains strong off Cape Cod and local Maryland day boats have continued to work. Current inventory consists of trawl caught product harvested in New Bedford, MA and Ocean City, MD.
Grouper
Large imported black grouper market continues to be more affordable as production in Central and South America continues. Availability for weekend sales will be strong. Current inventory consists of hook and line caught product harvested in Costa Rica.
Brand new shipment of domestic Yellow Edge Groupers in the cooler!! Deep water hook and line product directly from Cortez, FL. Limited availability so do not miss out!!
Domestic Red Grouper fishing was strong over the weekend and early week. Product from Florida, product from Cortez and Apalachicola are due for weekend sales!
Snappers
Good weather in The Gulf has been favorable to fishermen the past week. Plenty of availability, all sizes, for weekend sales. Inventory will consist of hook and line product harvested in Galveston, TX and Apalachicola, FL.
1-2 Yellow Tails:
- Brand new shipment of domestic Florida Keys hook and line 1-2 Yellow Tail snappers will be arriving Thursday for weekend specials!
Golden Tilefish:
Brand new shipment arriving in the cooler from Barnegat Light, NJ for weekend availability.
Black Bass
Support local fisheries! Ocean City, Maryland pot Black Bass fishing has been on fire! Good weather and right water temperatures have created great fishing for local boats. Black Bass sale all weekend long on mediums and larges. Current inventory consists of pot caught product harvested in Ocean City, MD (F/V Skilligalee III & F/V Integrity).
Tuna-
Stunning cherry red Yellowfins landing from Louisiana, Costa Rica, North Carolina & Ecudor this week. Local Bluefins coming in from Cape Cod Mass with beautiful cherry red color as well. Prices are up this week as good quality tunas are limited. These larger cherry red tunas are in higher demand. Great grilling fish option!
Sword-
Nice double marker swords arriving from Canada, Costa Rica & Ecuador this week. Prices are down but expected to rise next week. Great grilling fish option!
Monkfish
Stronger availability this week as the weather has improved up north.
Blue Catfish
No changes from last week. Prices remain elevated as we work through the summer.
Snakehead
Fresh landings have dropped off significantly. Refresh will be available all summer long. Please ask your account manager!
Wild Striped Bass
Limited production in Maryland. We will struggle with availability until September.
Mahi
Availability is slowly opening up as the demand has fallen off with back-to-school season beginning. The raw material is slowly softening as fishermen continue to produce in Central and South America.
Specialty Products
Ocean Greens
Sea Beans, a delicious, snappy, and salty vegetable that grows in the seaside tidal flats of coastal Maryland, will be in season for a little while longer. Get them while you can! Harvests typically cease in the late summer to early fall.
Half-Shell Frozen Shellfish
Maryland-raised Bay Scallops are taking a short harvest break to size up, but they're still available! Flash-frozen on the half shell, they're ready to top and broil for an easy appetizer or entree addition. We also offer 15-count retail packs, available plain or pre-topped with herb butter.
Continuing that easy-prep trend, Rappahannock Oyster Company (Topping, VA) brings us hassle-free half-shell options. Their oysters—topped with Rockefeller mix or garlic parmesan butter—and Casino-style top-neck clams go straight to the oven with zero labor. Sold by the case; simply thaw on a tray in the cooler before service for best results.
Featured:
Rockefeller Oyster Roasters
Product of Virginia, Wild-harvested
OYF200
Topped with a rockefeller mix and individually quick frozen. Sold by the case of 96 pieces.
Garlic Parmesan Oyster Roasters
Product of Virginia, Wild-harvested
OYF201
Topped with butter, garlic, parmesan, and individually quick frozen. Sold by the case of 96 pieces.
Clams Casino Roasters
Product of Virginia, Wild-harvested
CLAF20
Topped with butter, breadcrumbs, red bell pepper, and individually quick frozen. Sold by the case of 144 pieces.
Smoked Products & Tinned Seafood
Spanish canned seafood is unique because of the variety and high quality of products found in jars and tins, and the attention paid to traditional, hand-crafted methods of production. This is why Spanish mussels, octopus, squid, and sardines from the waters of Galicia are such a culinary delight! They'll make you rethink the possibilities of what can come from a tin.
Featured:
Mussels in Escabeche
Product of Galicia, Spain
TNMU10
The region’s rugged shores provide an abundance of crustaceans and mollusks, many of the best harvested for canning and preservation. The escabeche is a marinade of sunflower oil, vinegar, paprika, nutmeg, garlic, cinnamon, and salt. A tin makes a simple, flavorful tapa that pairs well with a dry Spanish cava.
Octopus in Olive Oil
Product of Galicia, Spain
TNOC20
Tender, luscious pieces of pulpo prepared and packed by hand in Galicia, Spain. Excellent directly out of the tin, you can also lightly heat the octopus and add a touch of piment d'Espelette or paprika to taste for a simple pintxo.
Live Lobster
The live trade market has found stability for the time being. Catch volumes have remained consistent, allowing wholesalers to maintain viable inventories. There has also been little to no change in the pricing structure with most wholesalers now changed over to firm shell offerings. We will most likely see an increase in Hard shell pricing soon as we move later into August and the shed is in full swing.
Crabmeat- updates you need to know.
Fresh Crabmeat
Maryland- ok landings this week as demand continues to build. Prices are now firm as some are on a small rise because of new bushel limit, quotas hitting earlier this month.
North Carolina – still a bit limited but same as MD. Some high winds have kept crabbers to the dock early week.
Gulf- Great savings vs other options. Look this direction for the weekend.
Venezuela - limited amounts of R/F lump in house but that will come to an end very soon. NOAA’s importing embargo of Venezuela began Jan 1st, prohibiting seafood imports from Venezuela & other countries if they can’t verify that no marine mammals are harmed by their fishing gear. Some countries have been cleared like Indonesia with catch reports & methods, yet Venezuela is still trying to get their approval. We are hopeful but currently have no indication on how long this will be or how long it will take NOAA to review & approve it, so we wait. There are plenty of alternative options available in the cooler to cover your needs.
Pasteurized Crabmeat
Blue Swimming Crab- This category continues to experience rapid price increases due to several factors: tariff impacts, poor landings in Indonesia all during very strong demand & of course the loss the Venezuelan & now Philippian crabmeat supply. As higher-priced containers arrive and inventories’ cost-average upward, pricing pressure is expected to continue. Most importers are facing limited availability, and the combination of weak landings, pressure at the beaches, and high demand is driving an extremely strong market. Expect ongoing supply constraints and rising prices throughout spring and summer.
Red Swimming Crab- High tariffs and poor landings have pushed prices sharply higher, particularly on jumbo lump and jumbo, with lump now following suit. Relief is not expected in the near term, as many buyers have shifted into this category seeking lower-cost alternatives.
Mexico- Mexican pricing has risen quickly as demand spilled over from the Indonesian market. Many have moved to this option. Unfortunately, Mexican conservation is for May & June, so this option has dwindled to just some lump & claw remaining.
Colombian- Supply is extremely limited. Landings have been extremely small. Small volumes are available; check in.
Molluscs
Scallops
Middle sizes for Hokkaido scallops are still lean availability-wise, but we expect a few lots from this year’s season (July-Dec) to begin to hit the US in the late summer/early fall.
Oysters
Canada is working hard to produce as many oysters as they can, but looming in the future is very limited availability as MSX continues to cause concerns. This will no doubt cause a great deal of shortages as we lean on domestic producers. Expect New England and Maine pricing to remain high or increase through the foreseeable future.
Featured this week:
Flying Point Oysters
Freeport, ME
OYS053
Robust oyster with earthy tones packing a punch of salt upfront but balanced nicely with the minerality from the hard pack bottom.
Beau Soleil
Mirimichi Bay, NB, CAN
OYS004
A full, firm texture, balanced sweet and salty notes with a hint of hazelnut.
Always on Feature and only at JJ McDonnell:
Skinny Dipper & Huckleberry Oysters
St Jerome’s Creek, MD
OYS200 & OYS060
For the best shell quality, quintessential Chesapeake flavor, and the cleanest oyster in town, choose Skinny Dippers for your printed menus. Always fresh and in stock! For a cocktail option, Huckleberry is a perfectly plump cocktail, and fun fact, they are the same age as a Skinny Dipper! Some oysters just never reach the size of a full, select oyster.
Happy Oysters
Northern Neck, VA
OYS250
Sweetgrass and butter with just enough brine and a clean finish. Tidal surges create a perfect environment for healthy, happy oysters!
Salt Buoy Oysters
Brockatonorton Bay, MD
OYS245
All of the salt you would expect from Maryland’s Atlantic coast, with a crab-like sweetness to finish. Float-raised cocktail shells are perfect for easy shucking.
Fortune Oysters
Wine Harbour, Eastern Nova Scotia
OYS218
A pop of salt from the North Atlantic! Smooth, salty, savory, and sweet meats in clean, solid, choice shells.
Live Lobsters
Domestic catch volumes have started to materialize, allowing wholesalers to begin offering lobsters at a lower price structure. The separation in the pricing structure between HS and FS offerings has allowed customers to gravitate toward using firm shells at a lower cost level. This scenario will continue as HS lobsters inventories become depleted and tubed product is no longer offered. Traditionally the lower cost of summer lobsters will help ignite a somewhat lackluster market.
Domestic Shrimp
Production is in full swing. Texas is open, and boats are starting to come back after their first trip. Inshore Louisiana opens next week. We expect all our plants to be very busy next week. The one thing to keep in mind is that high diesel prices might limit the amount of production we get. The current price of diesel is 4.50 per gallon. At these prices boats will not fish unless production is outstanding. And when catches fall off, boats will stop unless prices go up.
Frozen Import Cat
Imported catfish Chinese catfish remains subject to a 35% tariff on new orders, although tariff rates continue to be fluid and subject to change. While imported catfish values have increased, pricing has stabilized following the initial tariff announcements and continues to offer competitive value compared with domestic product. U.S. catfish imports finished 2025 approximately 2% below the prior year, with the downward trend continuing into 2026. Imports through May are approximately 4% below the same period in 2025. Despite lower import volumes and additional tariff costs, imported catfish remains competitively positioned within the U.S. market.
Pangasius / Swai fillet
Vietnamese pangasius is currently subject to a 10% tariff, although tariff levels remain fluid and subject to change. Following relatively stable market conditions throughout 2025, supply has tightened in 2026, particularly across smaller size grades.
Recent constraints have contributed to modest price increases on 3/5 oz. and 5/7 oz. fillets. Despite the recent firming, pangasius continues to represent a strong value within the broader whitefish category. U.S. imports through May are approximately 8% below the same period in 2025, likely reflecting the reduced availability of smaller sizes. Looking ahead, higher feed, fuel, and packaging costs are expected to place additional upward pressure on pricing. While near-term conditions remain relatively balanced, the longer-term market outlook points toward gradually higher replacement costs.
Frozen Pollock
Pollock imports finished 2025 approximately 18% below the prior year, with the downward trend continuing into 2026. U.S. imports through May are approximately 31% below the same period in 2025, reflecting continued constraints across the market. Pollock remains subject to the Russian embargo, preventing Russian origin raw material from being used in products imported into the U.S. While global quotas are generally unchanged, the Gulf of Alaska pollock quota has been reduced by nearly 25% this year, further tightening available supply. Despite higher costs, pollock continues to offer competitive value compared with higher priced whitefish such as cod and haddock. However, U.S. availability remains constrained as European buyers increasingly target pollock as a lower-cost whitefish alternative, adding competition for available global supply. These dynamics are expected to keep the market relatively firm in the near term.
