Long John Silver’s is halting seafood purchases from Russia, and the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers is touting U.S.-sourced products to companies looking to rejigger their supply chains.
U.S. President Joe Biden officially banned seafood imports from Russia on 11 March, with the ban coming into effect for existing contracts on 25 March.
Long John Silver’s, a Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.-based operator of more than 700 restaurants, “proudly serves wild-caught Alaska pollock,” Senior Vice President of Marketing and Innovation Christopher Caudill told SeafoodSource. Less than one percent of its sales come from cod caught by Russian fishing boats for one of its suppliers, according to Caudill.
Now, Long John Silver’s is “halting any additional purchases of products from Russia and seeking other options,” Caudill said.
“Long John Silver’s supports the sanctions on Russia and we encourage other seafood chains to stand with us as well,” he said.
However, Caudill warned that cutting off supply of Russian seafood into the U.S. market will have a noticeable impact on prices.
“The Russia-Ukraine situation will increase demand for seafood that hasn’t been sourced from Russia. As a result, supply of seafood from non-Russian sources will become limited and prices will increase,” Caudill said.
Before the sanctions were officially issued, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.-based Red Lobster also promised not to buy any products from Russia or of Russian origin.
“We will be complying with any and all existing and new sanctions laws related to Russia,” a spokesperson told SeafoodSource.
The chain had already begun transitioning out of pollock in mid-2021 and fully transitioned from pollock to flounder as part of a national menu update in December 2021, according to the spokesperson.
Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, a trade group representing companies involved in the fishing and trading of Alaska pollock, is playing up the domestic origin of its catch following the implementation of the new trading restrictions.
“The Alaska pollock industry, maybe more than anyone, understands the importance product origin can have on consumer demand for food products,” CEO Craig Morris said.
GAPP has worked for close to 20 years to differentiate its U.S.-caught fish in the marketplace from competing products by demonstrating the superior quality and sustainability of U.S-caught pollock, Morris said.
“And it is thanks to the tireless efforts of industry leaders to protect the name ‘Alaska pollock’ that consumers here in the U.S. can already have confidence in everything from their beloved fish sticks to surimi to the popular fast food Lent specials, that if the package or menu reads ‘Alaska pollock,’ it is caught here in the U.S.,” Morris said. “Those efforts are something that our entire industry will be forever grateful for, especially so during difficult times like this.”
Photo courtesy of Subitus/Shutterstock
