October 31, 2007

US retail chain to buy only environmentally friendly shrimp

Wegmans Food Markets has announced a purchasing policy for farmed shrimp that aims to limit damage to the environment.

New purchasing standards would be implemented at all 71 of Wegmans stores

Suppliers will have to demonstrate their compliance with the policy by meeting performance targets and implementing an auditing and reporting system to monitor progress.

The new quality standards will require farmed shrimp producers to eliminate the use of antibiotics and other chemicals, avoid damaging sensitive habitats, treat their waste water and reduce the use of wild fish to feed shrimp.

Companies like Wegmans have the market clout to transform supplier environmental practices, according to Gwen Ruta, Environmental Defense's Director of Corporate Partnerships. Environmental Defense strongly supported Wegman's move.

The new standards raises the bar for farmed shrimp production while continuing to provide a healthy seafood option for Wegmans' customers, she added.

The company is also urging other seafood buyers to exercise their purchasing power to make the same improvements to their supply chains.

Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Wegmans is a family-owned business founded in 1916 by the Wegman family. The company is one of the largest privately-held company in the US, with sales of US$4.1 billion last year.

The company has also been on Fortune magazines best 100 companies to work for in the past nine years.