Whole Foods Market locations across the United States will begin carrying Rainforest Tilapia products, according to an announcement from the AquaChile-owned operation.
Rainforest’s tilapia is grown in ponds in Cañas, Costa Rica, and is certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and received a four-star certification from the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices program in 2017. The tilapia is fed a diet that’s 99 percent vegetarian and is free of additives, growth hormones, and antibiotics, according to the company.
“Today consumers are not only concerned about acquiring healthier products and in accordance with a balanced diet, but they also want to consume all those foods that are the result of a production process that generates the least environmental impact. Our company has an eco-friendly production, as well as practices to have a ‘green’ footprint as much as possible, we are committed to low carbon usage, a zero-waste policy, using 95 percent renewable energy,” Rainforest Tilapia Production Manager Jose Soto said in a press release. “We prioritize women-owned, local vendors, and sponsor literacy and sponsorship programs for our workers. Working with a company like Whole Foods Market, which shares so many of the same values, is very exciting.”
Rainforest tilapia is carries Whole Foods’ Responsibly Farmed eco-label, signifying it meets Whole Foods’ third-party-verified aquaculture standards. It is farmed in ponds fed with volcanic reservoir water taken from hydropower generation and sent to rice and sugar plantations after use in the ponds, according to the company.
Photo courtesy of Rainforest Tilapia
