ROSEMONT, Ill. (Oct. 29, 2009 PRNewswire)—U.S. Foodservice announced a partnership with the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) making the company the first broadline food distributor in the United States to offer its customers farm-raised seafood certified as sustainable under the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification logo.
This is the second sustainable seafood certification offered by U.S. Foodservice. In April of 2008, U.S. Foodservice became the first food distributor to provide sustainable wild-caught seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). MSC uses eco-logo labels to indicate certification of seafood products from fisheries that are sustainable and environmentally responsible through a third-party audit system.
Through the development of its BAP certification program, GAA has become a standards-setting organization for aquaculture seafood. The BAP certification ensures social and environmental responsibility, traceability and compliance with food safety best practices throughout the production chain of farm-raised fish and seafood in countries worldwide.
Initial offerings will include catfish, shrimp and tilapia. U.S. Foodservice will begin to certify its source of Harbor Banks private label catfish to BAP standards immediately, followed by shrimp in the coming months and tilapia thereafter.
U.S. Foodservice's dedication to offering sustainable seafood products is part of the company's ongoing efforts to offer customers products that meet the top quality and safety standards and that are environmentally conscious. The company also offers customers a line of disposable products that are made with renewable resources such as corn, sugar cane and potato starch. The products are compostable, biodegradable and petroleum-free.
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