Ecuador-based Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) has expanded its presence in the Chilean market with the hypermarket chain Jumbo, making SSP-approved premium shrimp available under the Cuisine&Co brand.
According to a release from SSP the move is part of its plans to increase the availability of its shrimp in retail stores worldwide. Cuisine&Co is a brand registered to Cencosud, a Chilean retail holding with presence throughout Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina. It controls department stores, do-it-yourself stores, and supermarkets. Regarding the latter, besides Jumbo it also has the Santa Isabel chain; and in Peru it operates the supermarket chains Wong and Metro.
In Chile, consumers will now be able to purchase SSP shrimp in-store at Jumbo and online via the hypermarket’s website, for home delivery.
SSP is highlighting in its push to expand its presence that its shrimp has Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification, is antibiotic-free, and is fully traceable – with each package of shrimp stamped with a QR code for consumers to scan and access information on the shrimp’s journey from farm to fork. The information includes where, when, who, and how the shrimp was farmed and processed, with the aim of driving consumer trust in product quality and sustainability. The traceability-app is connected to IBM Food Trust, a platform developed with SSP since 2019 that provides food traceability via blockchain technology.
“For consumers, it is important to know that they are acquiring a product that is healthy for them, produced and processed in a responsible way with nature and with workers. Through our traceability tool, consumers have the opportunity to know our story, and demonstrate compliance with the highest quality and sustainability standards,” SSP Founding Member and CEO of Ecuadorian shrimp exporter Songa Rodrigo Laniado said.
Cencosud Regional Brand Manager María Paz Hasenohr said that the chain was “thrilled” to be able to offer SSP shrimp to the Chilean consumer.
“Our collaboration with SSP supports our ambition to align with producers who adhere to the highest social and environmental standards. We, like SSP, believe that the best tasting food is made by people who care,” she added.
SSP is a group of shrimp producing and exporting companies that aim to transform shrimp aquaculture, with a commitment to achieving the highest quality products, produced according to the highest social and environmental standards, via greater collaboration and transparency.
The initiative, led by the Ecuadorian seafood industry, was launched in 2018 with the goal of improving the country's reputation as a source of safe and sustainable shrimp.
Photo courtesy of Sustainable Shrimp Partnership
