ROCKPORT — Increasing demand for Maine lobster during the time of year when the supply is highest – and price is lowest – is the business goal of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC), strategists from the marketing firm Weber Shandwick told the Maine Fisherman’s Forum earlier this month. Their strategy relies on getting the food industry excited about “new shell,” or soft shell lobsters.
“We used to measure quality based on hardness of the shell,” said Matt Jacobsen, MLMC executive director. “The soft shell lobsters we’re marketing are what we used to call bad product.”
The message to fishermen was that there will still be a market for both hard shell and soft shell lobsters, but increasing demand for soft shells specifically may be the key to stabilizing price during the summer months when it traditionally dips.
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