Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)-certified shrimp products will be available for Christmas in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden. Early suppliers of ASC-certified shrimp include LENK, which sources shrimp from Faquimex; Miramar, which sources shrimp from Vina Clean Seafood; and Planets Pride and SeaSam Food, which source from Omarsa.
LENK is introducing its ‘TopSea ASC Gourmet King Prawns ‘easy peel’ product in Germany and Austria this month and in France early next year. In Sweden, Miramar is launching 12 certified shrimp products across retail stores and food service providers. Planets Pride and SeaSam Food are introducing ASC-certified shrimp across Scandinavia.
Coop Switzerland is the first retailer to introduce ASC certified shrimp. Beginning last week, the retailer offered ASC-labeled shrimp sourced from Thadimexco in nearly 800 stores across Switzerland.
“At LENK we understand the value that certified responsibly farmed shrimp brings to our customers in the German speaking markets and the rest Europe,” said Heiko Lenk, Managing Director of LENK Seafood Services. “For retailers, they can give their consumers the assurance that the shrimp they buy has been farmed with methods that minimize the impact on the environment and society.”
“The demand for farmed shrimp is growing globally,” said Chris Ninnes, CEO at ASC. “It is increasingly important to ensure that shrimp is farmed responsibly to minimize its environmental footprint and safeguard the rights of farm workers and local communities.”
The on-pack ASC logo helps consumers make an informed choice when shopping for seafood. Products carrying the logo show the fish is sourced from a farm that minimizes its environmental and social impact.
Companies in the supply chain that want to sell products as ASC certified must pass a Chain of Custody third party audit by an independent accredited certifier. Companies need to demonstrate they have solid traceability systems in place to guarantee no product mixing or substitution can occur.
