Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A.-based retailer Meijer has agreed to share its seafood sourcing practices as part of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership’s Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP), an initiative that has been opted into by several suppliers and retailers around the world.
Meijer, like the project’s other participants, has a public profile hosted on the ODP website that lists all of the fisheries that supply the retailer’s wild-caught seafood as well as information on fishery management, catch method, and environmental impact. The decision to become involved in the ODP falls in line with Meijer’s commitment to customer satisfaction, according to David Wier, Meijer’s seafood buyer.
“Meijer is committed to continuous improvement in customer satisfaction, product quality, sustainability, and impact on the environment for all of the seafood we purchase. We have made remarkable improvements over the past five years with help from SFP and look forward to continuing this great work,” Wier said.
The retailer joins 15 other companies that have agreed to participate in the project, which was initiated by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) in 2015 as a means to provide a valuable information resource for responsible investors, seafood consumers, and others interested in sustainable seafood. Other ODP participants include U.K. retailers Asda, Co-op Food, Lidl UK, and Morrisons, as well as U.K. seafood supplier Joseph Robertson and French foodservice company Davigel. Biomar Norway, Cargill/EWOS, and Skretting Norway have also agreed to disclose the sourcing details associated with their production of aquaculture feeds.
A considerable contingent of North American companies have also signed onto the project, with involvement from U.S. retailers Publix Supermarkets, Walmart, and Giant Eagle; seafood supplier North Atlantic, Inc.; and Canadian seafood suppliers Albion Farms and Fisheries and Tradex Foods, who joined the ODP in 2018.
The strong showing from North American companies has been encouraging for the ODP's crafters and stakeholders, SFP said in a 29 August release.
“It’s great to see more and more companies from North America joining the ODP,” SFP Director of Buyer Engagement Kathryn Novak said. “It demonstrates the value of the ODP as a tool for driving transparency in the seafood industry.”
