Waitrose to push alternative whitefish species

In a bid to offer an alternative whitefish species to consumers, upscale British retailer Waitrose is trying to carve a new market for Welsh flounder.
Waitrose is set to launch the flatfish at its seafood counters in late February, priced at GBP 8.99 per kilogram for fillets. By comparison, lemon sole fillets are currently priced at GBP 12.99 a kilogram.

“Welsh flounder is often discarded, but we think this is a great tasting fish that is a fantastic alternative to other whitefish such as plaice and lemon sole,” said Jeremy Langley, specialist fish buyer at Waitrose.

The flounder launch parachutes into the explosion of media coverage devoted to the subject of sustainable fisheries that has beset the UK since last week when celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall rolled out his Fish Fight campaign. In the United Kingdom, chefs, lobbyists, politicians and industry stakeholders all weighed in on the subject.

Strong on sustainability credentials, Waitrose, which carries about 1,500 different seafood products, kick started its sustainable seafood efforts in the mid-1990s, drawing up a four-point “catch-to-consumer” scheme that remains the anchor of its seafood-purchasing policy. Since 1996, about 20 species, including dogfish and European ling and hake, have been dropped from the chain’s shelves after failing to meet its sustainable-seafood criteria.

When SeafoodSource asked Jeremy Langley in a 2009 interview whether the industry can effectively marry commercial and sustainable interests, he responded that such a supply chain “takes a lot of hard work and commitment from fishermen … and everyone has to make a fair living out of it.” Langley underlined that Waitrose “fosters long-term relationships” and that many of the fisheries from which it sources have been supplying the supermarket since 1996.

In addition to Welsh flounder, Waitrose is bringing the “humble sprat” to its customers. The sprats from Cornwall will appear in around 100 Waitrose stores in late January, priced at GBP 4.99 a kilogram. The sprats will be available for the first few months of 2011, while the season lasts.

“We sold them in the past but they have fallen out of favor, with sardines becoming the more popular of these small species of oily fish,” said Langley

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