Press release -
Unlocking poké’s potential – NSC research signals major growth opportunity as consumers inspired to prepare raw fish at home
42% of UK consumers opt for poké out of the home, while 30% prepare the dish themselves at least once a month
New research from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) has uncovered a considerable opportunity for raw consumption in the home as the rapid rise of sushi in recent decades has paved the way for Hawaiian-inspired poké.
With the sushi market in the UK growing by more than £31 million in value over the past two years, adding a further 1,480 tonnes in volume to the seafood category,1 poké presents an opportunity to capitalise on the raw fish trend as consumers look for convenient, high-protein, nutritious meals.
According to NSC research, 42% of UK consumers are already choosing to eat poké when dining out, with 49% citing its health benefits and 60% drawn to its taste. However, of the 54% who have prepared poké themselves at home, only 30% do so monthly and 15% weekly2, signalling untapped potential for retailers and brands in this burgeoning category.
Untapped opportunities
Easy to assemble and endlessly customisable, the emerging popularity of the poké bowl is attached to convenience and taste, as much as it is health and wellness trends. There is also great untapped potential to create new, social dining occasions in the home,
with an array of possible ingredients offering build-your-own poké options and allowing individuals to tailor the dish to their tastes.
Salmon is the go-to ingredient for 63% of consumers preparing a poké bowl at home, with 37% choosing cooked salmon and 26% raw. Norwegian salmon is subject to rigid quality checks to ensure unrivalled freshness and taste, allowing consumers to opt for raw preparation in the home with confidence.
With NSC research3 indicating a growing number of consumers are being more adventurous when it comes to self-preparation of meals containing raw fish, there is an opportunity here to respond to their preferences and grow usage of raw seafood within dishes such as poké. By addressing concerns around quality and freshness, to perceived complexity in preparation, retailers can open up a significant opportunity.
According to NSC UK Director Bjørn-Erik Stabell: “ We need to make it easy for the consumer to prepare raw seafood at home, while simultaneously educating them and instilling in them the confidence to prepare poké themselves to provide a tasty, nutritious, and safe meal for the whole family.
“The return to growth of meal kits following the post-pandemic lull also presents an opportunity for poké, which can be easily assembled when presented with the fresh ingredients. While our data shows well over a third (42%) of UK consumers are already choosing poké when dining out, fewer than 30% prepare it at home on a monthly basis – revealing substantial headroom to grow the category in retail and at-home consumption.
“This gap of those not yet regularly making poké at home is particularly apparent across several UK regions, including Scotland (77%), the North West (67%), West Midlands (90%), and the South West (79%). With 60% of respondents highlighting the taste of a good poké bowl as its greatest appeal, this presents a clear opportunity for retailers and brands to convert untapped regional interest into confident home preparation.4”
Diversifying beyond salmon
The customisable nature of the poké bowl lends itself to a range of seafood options, with room to grow the category further as consumers try out other ingredients beyond salmon and tuna, looking to cold-water prawns and cod.
Stabell says: “Along with salmon, Norwegian cold-water prawns, and farmed cod and halibut will also be important in driving the poké trend in the UK over the coming years. Cold-water prawns are already the third most popular seafood used in poké bowls at home (26%), just behind cooked tuna (33%) and cooked salmon (37%). Their versatility and great taste make them an ideal, high-quality ingredient for this evolving category, while cooked cod (20%) continues to attract consumers for its familiarity and premium feel.
“It is also clear that the UK retail market is best poised to take leverage of this fast-emerging category, thereby increasing seafood turnover, with 67% of UK consumers opting to source poké ingredients from supermarkets.5”
As cost pressures lead more consumers to recreate their favourite dishes at home and the quest for protein-rich, nutritious meals continues, poké ticks all the boxes when it comes to health, convenience and taste. Those who meet consumer demand for this growing sector will ultimately reap the rewards.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
1 NIQ Scantrack MAT to June 2025
2 NSC Poké insights UK 2025
3 NSC Oceans of Change: Seafood Trends for 2024
4 NSC Poké insights UK 2025
5 NSC Poké insights UK 2025
The Norwegian Seafood Council works with the Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture industries to develop markets for Norwegian seafood through local market intelligence, market development and reputational risk management. The Seafood Council is headquartered in Tromsø and maintains local representatives in thirteen of Norway's most important international markets. The Norwegian seafood industry finances the activities of the Norwegian Seafood Council via a tariff on all Norwegian seafood exports. The Norwegian Seafood Council is a public company owned by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
