Sashimi is driving growth in China’s salmon category, according to research from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), creating opportunities for imported salmon. NSC’s Seafood Trends 2026: The China Report explores the surge in seafood consumption in China and the trends influencing how consumers discover, purchase and consume seafood, helping to drive the market’s accelerated growth.
As World Seafood Shanghai (WSS) gets under way today, running from 26–28 August, the NSC has identified sashimi as a key opportunity in China’s rapidly expanding salmon market. Growth is being driven by rising in-home consumption, fast delivery services and the parallel expansion of factories providing sashimi-grade salmon to meet demand.
Salmon: An affordable luxury
Salmon sashimi dominates China’s raw fish category. According to NSC data, about 25 percent of Chinese seafood consumers in tier-one cities report eating salmon sashimi once a week or more frequently.
Bjørgo explains “In China, salmon equals sashimi – full stop. There isn’t even much focus on sushi. That is a small slice of the salmon category; it really is mainly sashimi.” The popularity of raw, expertly sliced salmon in China is particularly notable when compared with the global average of 13 percent for weekly sashimi consumption*. The average in this case is influenced by high percentages in many Asian markets.
Affluence is the biggest enabler of seafood consumption in China, where the middle class has grown from around 300,000 people in 2000 to 184 million today, creating a growing audience for higher-value seafood. Salmon is considered an affordable luxury in China, combining premium appeal with the convenience of an at-home treat.
Rather than diluting its premium positioning, greater accessibility is enabling more consumers to incorporate salmon sashimi into the traditional Chinese meal of multiple shared dishes.
Freshness is a key driver
In 2025, China emerged as the market with the highest value growth for Norwegian seafood, with an increase in export value of NOK 2.9 billion (31 percent) compared with the previous year. China purchased Norwegian seafood totalling NOK 12.3 billion and climbed from being the sixth largest market in 2024 to the third largest market in 2025.
Looking at salmon consumption in particular, and the development from 2024 to 2025, China also recorded the highest growth compared with the other top salmon markets.
Although Norwegian salmon is cold-chain reliant, the fact that it is favoured as a premium product by China’s rising middle class provides further evidence that it arrives fresh and is trusted by consumers.
According to NSC Consumer Analyst Lars Moksness “Through this new research, we’ve gained powerful new understanding of what influences the Chinese consumer. Our findings show that when purchasing seafood, freshness is a key driver, including cost. Consumers are looking for premium-grade seafood, especially when it comes to salmon sashimi – and Norwegian salmon offers the quality they are looking for.”
With China’s middle class continuing to expand and demand for premium seafood gathering pace, the appetite for Norwegian salmon shows no signs of slowing. The newest figures show that Chinese salmon imports increased by 43 percent in the first half of 2026, on top of the 50 percent growth recorded for the full year of 2025. In other words, there is no indication that the trend will stop anytime soon.
As sashimi moves firmly into the mainstream and consumers increasingly prioritise freshness, quality and convenience, Norway is well placed to serve China’s growing taste for premium salmon sashimi.
The NSC and nine companies from the Norwegian seafood industry will be present at the Norwegian Seafood Pavilion at World Seafood Shanghai (WSS) from 26–28 August. Before the trade show, there will be a salmon consumer focus group as well as a sashimi taste test among chefs. The China 9th Global Salmon Industry Summit, the largest salmon seminar in China, will also be held on Wednesday 26 August. The seminar is organised by the trade media Seafood Guide, where NSC is co-organiser.
