As part of its sustainable seafood procurement policy, ShopRite has committed to sourcing four-star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) product, beginning with shrimp, the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) announced in late February.
The U.S. East Coast supermarket company has pledged to source 100% four-star BAP shrimp, meaning that 100% of its farmed shrimp would originate from BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills. It’s the highest designation in the BAP third-party certification program.
News of the commitment came as ShopRite launched a new line of frozen raw and cooked shrimp under its premium ShopRite private-label brand. The shrimp is BAP four star, and it’s being marketed as antibiotic free, preservative free and sustainability sourced, in print and online, including in a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcagOAdsbE0&feature=youtu.be
“We are proud to offer this high quality shrimp, which also has a great story when it comes to sustainability. The farms where our ShopRite shrimp are raised follow responsible practices that minimize environmental impacts, respect worker rights, and produce food safely and sustainably. This signature addition to our private label is another example of our great premium brand ShopRite private label products that taste great and are top rated in the industry,” said Karen Meleta, spokesperson for ShopRite.
“We are very excited to see the continued focus and drive of ShopRite,” said Peter Redmond, BAP VP of market development. “ShopRite were one of the earliest BAP two-star market endorsers and with the issues facing seafood recognize that this drive has to continue to four-star BAP. “The BAP program is unique in that it is the only third-party aquaculture certification program that includes all four intersects of the supply chain — processor, farm, hatchery and feed mill. With the various issues facing seafood — social welfare, food safety and animal disease — BAP is the only program that can provide the necessary coverage in all four types of facilities. ShopRite recognizes this, and we are confident that four-star BAP will provide very solid assurance. We applaud ShopRite for its leadership and look forward to BAP and ShopRite working together, delivering real change on the water, not just talking about it.”
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, New Jersey; it’s the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. ShopRite has more than 250 supermarkets throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland.
Both ShopRite and Wakefern are BAP market endorsers, of which there are more than 150 throughout North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.
About BAP
A division of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, Best Aquaculture Practices is an international certification program based on achievable, science-based and continuously improved performance standards for the entire aquaculture supply chain — farms, hatcheries, processing plants and feed mills — that assure healthful foods produced through environmentally and socially responsible means. BAP certification is based on independent audits that evaluate compliance with the BAP standards developed by the Global Aquaculture Alliance.
Source: Global Aquaculture Alliance