Wegmans Food Markets on Thursday announced that it has partnered with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to better understand its impact on seafood sustainability.
All Wegmans seafood suppliers were asked to provide information about the fisheries from which they source their seafood. Sustainable Fisheries Partnership then analyzed the data and delivered a report to Wegmans. The report is designed to help Wegmans understand its impact on the environment and on status of fish stocks.
So far, the partnership has focused on wild seafood, but Wegmans said it expects to shift the focus to farmed seafood in the future.
“The seafood industry and what we know about its impact on the environment is always changing. So it only makes sense to partner with a group of experts that can keep track of the latest and greatest information,” says Carl Salamone, Wegmans’ VP of seafood. “When SFP counsels us on the technical side of the business, it allows us to do what we do best, provide fresh, high quality, responsible seafood to our customers. We’re excited about how this partnership can enrich our company, our customers’ experience, and the seafood industry.
“SFP is continuing to work on the analysis of the fisheries. Once that has been completed, we will evaluate the entire report and make a plan for the future,” states Salamone. “Our hope is to work with our suppliers to identify areas of the industry that can be improved and create plans to move forward. Sustainability is a never-ending goal.”
Wegmans operates 79 supermarkets in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. Last week, the Rochester, N.Y.-based company announced that it is freezing prices on salmon, tilapia, haddock and more than 50 other items to help price-conscious consumers.
