Commercial partnerships continue to grow across the region with 40 plus companies located in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Suriname, and Costa Rica gaining MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification since our last newsletter update in September 2011. Here are some highlights and “firsts” in expanded usage and recognition of the MSC ecolabel.
Big Y Supermarkets, a retail chain with 61 stores across Massachusetts and Connecticut, received MSC Chain of Custody certification for its fresh seafood counters. Big Y is family-owned and has been in business for more than 75 years.
United Supermarkets of Lubbock, Texas is the first Lone Star State regional grocery chain to obtain MSC certification, enabling them to use the blue MSC ecolabel with fresh seafood. United Supermarkets operates grocery stores in 30 markets across north and west Texas.
ProFish became the first MSC certified seafood distributor in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and operates throughout the Mid Atlantic U.S. Profish provides custom cut fresh seafood to some of the country's most prestigious restaurants, hotels, resorts, steakhouses, casinos and country clubs.
Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak and Seafood, with locations throughout the Southeast U.S., has become the first MSC certified seafood distributor in Atlanta, Georgia. Halperns’ also operates production facilities in New Jersey, serving New York and Atlantic City, and in Pompano, Florida, serving South Florida and the Caribbean.
Sushi Maki, the first East Coast sushi chain of restaurants in the U.S. to obtain Chain of Custody, is serving certified sustainable sea bass and kanikama krab (surimi) in its 16 locations throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties in Florida. In addition to six full service restaurants in the area, Sushi Maki operates branded “sushi stations” at Whole Foods Markets, Milam’s Markets, The University of Miami, Florida International University, American Airlines Arena, Miami International Airport, and Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. To learn more about the partnership between MSC and Sushi Maki, view an 8-minute Fox Business News interview with Sushi Maki’s CEO, Abe Ng, and Kerry Coughlin, MSC Americas Regional Director.
Ian’s, a leading producer of all-natural, allergy-friendly convenience foods features the MSC ecolable on its Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free Fish Sticks. Adding the MSC ecolabel to these products gives consumers confidence the whole-fillet Alaska pollock used to produce them is sourced from an MSC certified sustainable fishery. Ian’s products can be found nationwide at natural and organic retailers, such as Whole Foods Market and PCC, and in the natural section of many leading grocery stores including Giant, Kroger, Wegmans, and Publix.
Source: Marine Stewardship Council
