NSF International of Ann Arbor, Mich., on Thursday announced its acquisition of Surefish, a seafood quality specialist and provider of independent seafood inspections and expert consultations.
NSF International is an independent, non-profit organization that certifies products and writes standards for food, water and consumer goods. Together, the companies will help improve the safety and quality of the seafood supply for retail and foodservice industries.
The new company will be branded NSF Surefish and will integrate certification experience and seafood expertise to provide comprehensive services at each step in the supply chain.
“We are extremely enthusiastic about the many synergies that exist between Surefish and NSF International,” said Lisa Goche, Surefish president. “This acquisition will help us to continue to meet the rapidly increasing demand for quality and safety throughout the seafood supply chain. Our clients will benefit from our core offerings of seafood quality inspections, [Marine Stewardship Council] Chain of Custody Certifications, consulting and auditing, as well as NSF’s certifications, including BRC [British Retail Consortium] and SQF [Safe Quality Foods].”
NSF announced earlier this week that it became the first North American certification body to be accredited by the SQF and BRC.
Key stakeholders to benefit from the Surefish acquisition include fisheries, seafood wholesalers, processors, retailers, restaurants and others within the food industry.
“NSF Surefish services will help seafood companies comply with best industry practices and standards throughout the world, while providing these companies with comprehensive training, auditing, certification services and seafood quality programs. To fulfill the increased demand for these types of food-safety audits, NSF International also continues to train new auditors to BRC and SQF,” said Tom Chestnut, VP of supply chain food safety and quality for NSF.
