Albertsons Companies Expands Responsible Seafood Program to Sushi and Shelf-Stable Tuna, Announces Ambitious “Top 20 by 2022” Responsible Seafood Goal

BOISE, Idaho, November 1, 2016 /3BL Media/ - In an ambitious move to provide customers with the highest-quality, traceable seafood from environmentally and socially responsible sources, Albertsons Companies announced today a new Responsible Seafood Policy.

The policy sets a bold vision for sustainable seafood across the 2,300+ stores in the Albertsons Companies family and expands the existing program beyond fresh and frozen seafood to include shelf-stable tuna (canned and vacuum-sealed), as well as sushi sold from our delis.

"Shelf-stable tuna, social responsibility and traceability are the most challenging issues in sustainable seafood today, and our team is tackling them head on," said Buster Houston, Group Director of Seafood at Albertsons Companies. "While it's defining a course for the sustainability efforts here at Albertsons Companies, we feel it's also a pivotal moment for the seafood industry as a whole. Even though the issues are complex, we cannot shy away from seeking out solutions because it's what being responsible stewards of our resources is all about."

The company also set a large-scale ‘Top 20 by 2022’ goal for fresh and private-label frozen seafood, whereby 100 percent of the top 20 wild and farmed seafood products sold at Albertsons Companies’ stores will meet the Responsible Seafood Policy by year-end 2022. This commitment means that 94 percent of products (by volume) sold in service cases and freezers will be either Green- or Yellow-Rated—which are the highest ratings given by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program—certified to an equivalent environmental standard[1] or sourced from fisheries or farms making measurable and time-bound improvements[2].

Albertsons Companies’ ongoing partner in this effort is FishWise, a non-profit sustainable seafood consultancy based in Santa Cruz, CA.

“We are proud of Albertsons Companies,” said Ashley Greenley, Project Director at FishWise. “Their new policy builds on the progress and momentum we achieved over the years with their team and sets a high standard for the next generation of comprehensive retailer commitments.”

In the coming months, FishWise will work closely with Albertsons Companies to develop ambitious, yet achievable time-bound goals for sushi and shelf-stable tuna, the newest seafood categories in our Responsible Seafood Program.

Albertsons Companies recognizes that many of the challenges in seafood sustainability are bigger than one company, and as such, remains committed to working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), suppliers and leaders in the seafood industry and other sectors to improve transparency in seafood supply chains and to protect the oceans and people who depend on them.

About FishWise
FishWise is a non-profit sustainable seafood consultancy based in Santa Cruz, CA. Uniquely positioned between the seafood industry and marine conservation organizations, FishWise offers a range of services that create trust between seafood vendors and their customers, enabling businesses to sell more sustainable seafood, more profitably. For more information, please visit www.fishwise.org.

About Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. The company operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 19 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. Albertsons Companies is dedicated to helping people across the country live better lives. In 2015 alone, with the help of generous customers, Albertsons Companies and the Albertsons Companies Foundation gave more than $270 million in food and financial support to the more than 2,300 communities they serve, improving the lives of millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities, and veterans outreach. Albertsons Companies is committed to making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood.

Media Contacts

Albertsons Companies:
Christine Wilcox
Vice President, Communication & Public Affairs
christine.wilcox@albertsons.com

FishWise:
Meghan Frolli
Retail Division Director
m.frolli@fishwise.org  
(831) 427-1707 ext. 114

[1] https://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations/eco-certification

[2] http://www.solutionsforseafood.org/projects/fishery-improvement/