FishWise Partner Hy-Vee Achieves 2015 Responsible Sourcing Commitment

In 2011, FishWise partnered with Hy-Vee to help the company transition its fresh and frozen seafood to environmentally responsible sources and improve the traceability of its seafood by the end of 2015.

As of December 2015, 100% of Hy-Vee’s fresh and private label frozen seafood met the goal of being responsibly sourced. This is a 38% increase from when Hy-Vee publicly announced the Responsible Sourcing Commitment in January 2014.

Since the partnership began, Hy-Vee and FishWise successfully transitioned 4.9 million pounds of seafood to responsible sources, a commendable effort that included the following highlights:

• Farmed Salmon: All of Hy-Vee’s fresh and private label farmed salmon is responsibly sourced and is Seafood Watch Green or Yellow rated. The company also offers Green-rated wild Alaskan salmon.
• Farmed Shrimp: By engaging in certification strengthening and encouraging shrimp farmers to improve, Hy-Vee was able to source 100% of its fresh and private label frozen farmed shrimp from responsible sources.
• King Crab: In 2012, Hy-Vee transitioned sourcing to 100% Alaskan king crab and started the highly successful annual Alaskan king crab leg promotion.
• Yellowfin Tuna: Hy-Vee’s transition to handline fisheries and MSC-certified fisheries for imported yellowfin tuna resulted in 100% responsibly sourcing of Hy-Vee’s fresh and private label tuna.

In addition to the work on procurement, Hy-Vee and FishWise developed a “Responsible Choice” point-of-sale labeling and marketing program to showcase and drive sales of responsible products.

Hy-Vee and FishWise also engaged with other major retailers, environmental and social NGOs and industry to address important conservation issues, including support for fisheries improvements, marine protected areas, and legislation promoting traceability and illegal fishing reform the issue of traceability and illegal fishing in global seafood supply chains.

We are excited to continue working closely with Hy-Vee to bring national brand frozen seafood into compliance with the seafood procurement policy, and expand the program into other important seafood categories.