Full Assortment of Seafood Products Now Validated as Sustainably Sourced
SCARBOROUGH, ME – This World Oceans Day, Hannaford is celebrating its sustainable seafood progress, which now includes sustainably sourced seafood across its full assortment of seafood products – both national and private brand.
“More than ever, customers demand transparency as it relates to their seafood purchases,” said Nathan Jewell, Seafood Category Manager for Hannaford. “Customers want to know where their seafood is coming from, how it was harvested and if it is a sustainable source. At Hannaford, we are committed to doing our part to ensure that seafood species are protected today and for generations to come; it’s simply the responsible choice.”
In 2010, Hannaford began work with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) to vet and audit all seafood products on a continuous basis to ensure they meet Hannaford’s rigorous sustainable seafood policy. This work is part of Hannaford’s broader transparency commitment which includes providing complete transparency for the sources of seafood we sell through the Ocean Disclosure Project.
Jewell added, “At Hannaford, you can trust that the seafood products you buy in our stores are brought to you in a way that you can feel good about. All seafood products are vetted through our robust and comprehensive sourcing policy; ensuring our seafood is fully traceable to the wild fishery or to the farm and come from responsible sources.”
For each product, information is required from suppliers, including how and where fish were caught or farmed and whether the fish is sourced from a fishery or farm that is certified to a Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative-benchmarked standard, engaged in a Fishery Improvement Project, or assessed as low risk by GMRI.
“Hannaford demonstrated great leadership with their approach to seafood sustainability,” said Kyle Foley, Senior Program Manager at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. “Their sustainable seafood policy is comprehensive in its scope, including all fresh, frozen, and canned seafood, and they implement strict traceability requirements of suppliers to ensure they know where their seafood is coming from. Further, they are constantly looking for opportunities to keep improving.”
Hannaford continues to work with GMRI to validate all new seafood products and collaborates to enhance both environmental and social sustainability in seafood.
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About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets operates 184 stores in the Northeast, most with full-service pharmacies. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. All are committed to offering great fresh food, convenient experiences and everyday low prices. Hannaford also is an active and committed community partner—focusing on fighting hunger, supporting youth development, and helping people live healthier lives. Hannaford is an industry leader in sustainability with a strong commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. Hannaford diverts or donates all food at risk of going to waste—sending no food to landfills. In 2020, Hannaford donated more than 25 million pounds of food to hunger relief organizations and prevented 65 million pounds of food waste from reaching landfills. Hannaford employs nearly 30,000 associates and is based in Scarborough, Maine. Additional information can be found at Hannaford.com.