Wild Planet Foods, a sustainable seafood company, has inked a new deal with Whole Foods Market for five of its seafood products to hit the shelves.
The five new products include premium canned seafood products that prioritize sustainability. The Whole Foods Market additions expand upon Wild Planet Foods’ canned fish items and products with the grocery retailer, promising low mercury and high-quality products.
The food brand’s product launch comes as the fishing industry has faced criticism for its unsustainable practices over the years. In particular, the industry has faced backlash for overfishing, with 34.2% of fish stocks considered overfished and 22 billion pounds of seafood killed and discarded due to non-selective harvesting methods. Much of the seafood industry's current focus on sustainability has centered on reducing waste and emissions in packaging, as well as recycling, rather than fishing practices.
Wild Planet Foods noted it uses selective harvesting methods that target just one species at a time, which can help eliminate bycatch, or species unintentionally caught in the process of fishing another targeted species. The company partners with small-scale fishermen and fishing families to achieve its goals. The seafood brand was founded in 2004 in McKinleyville, California, by seafood industry veteran Bill Carvalho, who aimed to bring the highest environmental standards to the fishing industry.
“We’re pleased to introduce new Wild Planet products to Whole Foods shoppers nationwide who are making more of a conscious effort to shop with sustainability in mind,” Bill Carvalho, president and founder of Wild Planet Foods, said in a statement. “Since the company’s inception, it has been our goal to spread awareness about the importance of knowing where your seafood comes from and the nutritional value canned seafood can provide, all while making it more accessible to consumers. This launch builds further on our realization of this goal, and we are excited to offer new, high-quality options that Whole Foods customers are going to enjoy.”
The news comes a few years after a major canned seafood food brand, Bumble Bee Seafood, announced it was committing $40 million over a five-year period to restore and protect the health of the world’s oceans.
Wild Planet Foods’ new products at Whole Foods include: Skipjack Solid Light Wild Tuna in Pure Olive Oil, Wild Smoked Pink Salmon in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Wild Smoked Mackerel Fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Wild Pink Salmon, 3-Pack and Wild Tuna Quinoa Salad Ready-To-Eat Meal.
