One of the largest restaurant management companies in the United States will soon start serving only wild salmon recommended by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Elior North America, which manages foodservice operations at more than 1,500 locations – including colleges and hospitals – across the United States, announced the move this week. The company is the largest provider for the Meals on Wheels program.
Elior sources its Pacific Ocean salmon supply from a variety of vendors, including Trident Seafoods and Portico, courtesy of the company’s preferred distributor Sysco, Guy Kellner, senior vice president of culinary development, told SeafoodSource.
While sustainability-farmed salmon has garnered increased support in recent years from top U.S. chefs such as TV personality Andrew Zimmern and celebrity chef Rick Moonen, Elior North America is currently looking to take a new approach as part of its “rigorous self-imposed responsible sourcing goals over the next six years,” the restaurant group said in a press release.
“While we respect farmed salmon and the chefs who support that approach, we chose to purchase wild salmon to align with the Monterey Bay [Aquarium] Seafood Watch ratings,” Kellner said.
The frozen wild salmon will be used in around 800 foodservice operations. In addition, the company said plans to add Seafood Watch-recommended canned tuna and shrimp in the near future are also in the works, with implementation taking place by 2020.
“We are still in discussions involving what providers of canned tuna and responsible shrimp will be the best partners for Elior North America,” Kellner said. The shrimp and canned tuna will be purchased through Sysco.
Jenn Kemmerly, Monterey Bay Aquarium's global director of fisheries and aquaculture, praised Elior’s switch to sustainable wild salmon.
"By utilizing Seafood Watch guidance and recommendations, Elior is moving toward more environmentally responsible seafood,” she said in the press release.
Image courtesy of Elior
