The French retailer Auchan, feed manufacturer BioMar, Ecuadorian shrimp farmer Edpacif, and international NGO Earthworm Foundation have joined forces to develop a new product line that sets a new standard for responsible shrimp.
“Our customers are asking for more responsible seafood. To ensure we can provide it, we need commitment from the entire value chain. This is the whole purpose of our collaboration with Earthworm Foundation” said Olivier Vandebeulque, Auchan Seafood Manager.
Henrik Aarestrup, Vice President at BioMar, was the first to be contacted by Earthworm: “During the project, we utilised our sustainability impact assessment tool (BioSustain LCA) to minimise the carbon footprint of the shrimp feed through meticulous recipe optimisation. We replaced fish oil with microalgae and sourced 100% of the marine protein from high-quality trimmings,” said Aarestrup. In a first for BioMar, the project also saw BioMar’s team of sustainability consultants introduce recommendations to shrimp producer Edpacif on how to reduce the carbon footprint of the farming process.
Auchan is therefore testing a new way to commercialise shrimp products. Vandebeulque explains: ““We decided to also sell trays with only the shrimp tails. This innovation has two benefits: the carbon footprint associated with product transport is reduced by 40%; and the shrimp heads are processed and reused locally in Ecuador for animal feed, further increasing circularity in the production.”
“Equally important is the fact that none of the ingredients used in the shrimp feed come from deforested or even tropical areas” added Aarestrup. “Shrimp feeds can contain up to 50% soy, so responsible sourcing of this key ingredient is crucial to achieving good environmental outcomes.”
“A responsible shrimp also needs to take into account social sustainability,” explains Florie Loth, Ocean Program Manager at Earthworm. “In Ecuador, our shrimp-related activities focus on capacity-building initiatives to drive social change. While the project helped enhance access to stable employment for the local community, Earthworm teams also worked with Edpacif to improve working conditions and provide better housing for workers.”
Marcelo Velez, Edpacif S.A. President, said: “We are grateful to Auchan, Earthworm and BioMar for the opportunity to work together on this important project, along with our partner Eurotrade Fish. The project allows us to strengthen our ESG commitments and improve our practices, while delivering an ethical product of the highest quality.”
The new product line will be granted the Mr. Goodfish label. Launched in March 2010 in France by Nausicaá, National Sea Center, the Mr.Goodfish program aims to raise awareness of responsible seafood consumption. The program covers three pillars: responsible feed, optimal farming conditions for animal welfare, and environmental impact.
As part of the project, Mr. Goodfish and Earthworm worked in partnership to add a social pillar to the specifications for the Ecuadorian shrimp.
“We believe the project is raising the bar for shrimp products,” said Loth. “Our hope is that it will inspire others to adopt more sustainable practices – practices that help preserve biodiversity and protect human rights.”
The new product line is now available in French Auchan hypermarkets.
About Auchan
Multi-format and phygital retailer, Auchan brings together all food retail formats from physical (hypermarkets, proximity and ultra-proximity) to digital (drives, home delivery, click&collect) to provide to its customers a pleasant shopping experience and a unique, fair, and responsible product offer. In order to make their lives easier, the company puts customers at the heart of all its orientations: accessible prices, choice and diversity of products, quality of service. A responsible economic player, Auchan supports agriculture and the agri-food industry by acting as closely as possible to the territories it is established in through the 57,570 employees of its 687 points of sale. In 2022, Auchan recorded more than 340 million visits to its stores and e-commerce sites.
Follow us: www.auchan-retail.com – Twitter: @auchannews – LinkedIn: Auchan Retail
About Biomar
BioMar are innovators in high performance aquaculture feed dedicated to doing our part in creating a healthy and sustainable global aquaculture industry. BioMar operates 17 feed factories across the globe in Norway, Chile, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, China, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Australia. Worldwide, we supply feed to around 90 countries for more than 45 different species. BioMar is wholly owned by the Danish industrial group Schouw & Co, which is listed on the NASDAQ, Copenhagen. Learn more about BioMar at www.biomar.com
About Earthworm Foundation
Earthworm Foundation is an impact-driven non-profit that partners with businesses, civil society, communities and governments to reduce the impact of raw materials on people and the planet. Our supply chain, social and environmental experts work across five continents to improve conditions for people, forests and soils impacted by the production of cocoa, packaging, palm oil, soy, rubber and more. We focus on implementing responsible sourcing commitments in supply chains and innovating practical solutions to social and environmental challenges across sourcing landscapes. Our work on seafood helps our partners to develop sustainable policies, source fish from sustainably managed stocks, implement best aquaculture practices, and improve transparency in the supply chain. Follow us on LinkedIn or subscribe to our newsletter.
About Edpacif
Nestled on the Equatorial line in a pristine environment, Edpacif stands as a pioneering force in the European seafood market, distinguished by its unwavering commitment to corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and the production of high-quality products. Edpacif’s strategic location enhances its dedication to environmental preservation and responsible sourcing. The company has embraced its unique surroundings and developed cutting-edge technology to ensure product safety, traceability, and the fulfillment of socially responsible practices. This commitment, coupled with a bespoke approach to technology, helps Edpacif move forward every day towards ethical seafood processing, resonating with consumers who prioritize both environmental sustainability and the assurance of top-tier product quality.
Specialized in seafood distribution for 40 years, Eurotrade Fish is one of the most important actors in the Euopean Vannamei shrimp market; focusing on Latin American origins.
