Whole Foods earns top spot in Greenpeace's 2014 annual seafood sustainability ranking of US supermarkets for second straight year, claiming highest overall score, strongest sustainable seafood policy

Cindy Allen

AUSTIN, Texas , May 19, 2014 (press release) – Leading Natural and Organic Grocer Recognized for Stringent Purchasing Policies, Industry-Leading Initiatives, Transparency and Avoiding Vulnerable Species

For the fourth time since 2008, Whole Foods Market (WFM) earned the top spot in Greenpeace’s annual seafood sustainability ranking of U.S. supermarkets, claiming both the highest overall score and the strongest sustainable seafood policy. Whole Foods Market has been ranked first for the last two years in a row.

Greenpeace’s 2014 Carting Away the Ocean’s (CATO) VIII report ranks 26 major retailers in four areas: policy, initiatives, labeling and transparency, and red-list inventory. Whole Foods Market’s stringent purchasing policies for wild-caught fish, partnerships with leading scientific organizations, public advocacy, pioneering transparency and labeling, customer education, fishmonger expertise and industry-leading aquaculture standards all contributed to the company’s continued leadership in seafood sustainability.

“Whole Foods Market’s mission towards a fully sustainable seafood department is about providing the right choices for customers, making it easier for them to find the highest quality, most sustainable seafood anywhere,” said David Pilat, global seafood coordinator for Whole Foods Market. “We’re proud to be recognized by Greenpeace for our seafood industry leadership and will continue to honor the oceans through our sourcing, so people worldwide can be nourished by seafood into the future.”

Whole Foods Market excelled in the Sustainable Seafood Policy category of the report, earning the highest score of any retailer. The company purchases as much wild-caught seafood as possible from fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). For fisheries not MSC-certified, Whole Foods Market only sources from fisheries rated either a “Best Choice” (green) or “Good Alternative” (yellow) by the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA) and Blue Ocean Institute (BOI). In 2012, Whole Foods Market stopped selling all species rated red by MBA and BOI, becoming the first national grocer to make this stand.

Greenpeace also identified Whole Foods Market’s selection of canned tuna as the best of any major U.S. retailer, an impactful category for sustainability since America is the largest canned tuna market in the world. Launched in May 2014, the retailer’s new Pole & Line Caught tuna is the most sustainable canned tuna option on the market. The fish in every can is caught one at a time using the pole and line method, which eliminates bycatch of marine mammals, sharks, and turtles. These vulnerable, and in some cases protected species, are caught in tuna fisheries that use less selective fishing methods.

"Every can is fully traceable back to its source. Our Albacore tuna even has the fisherman’s signature on each can so shoppers can see exactly which boat their fish came from," said Dwight Richmond, global grocery purchasing coordinator for Whole Foods Market. “Our Pole & Line Caught brand also led to the introduction of the first and only MSC-certified cat food, called Deck Hand. It’s made with the otherwise unused meat from the same tuna fish as the Pole & Line Caught brand so no meat goes to waste.”

Whole Foods Market’s aquaculture policies also earned praise from Greenpeace. The retailer’s farmed seafood – recognized by the Responsibly Farmed seal – is raised in compliance with the company’s strict Quality Standards and third-party verification process to ensure that farmed fish comes from the world's leaders in environmentally-responsible aquaculture.

Whole Foods Market excelled in Greenpeace’s labeling and transparency category for having pioneering case signs with sustainability ratings from MBA and BOI, as well as other point-of-purchase information like posters, pamphlets and knowledgeable fishmongers, along with online resources and transparent Quality Standards. The company also has rigorous internal traceability initiatives like full traceability from fishery to store, as well as dedicated port buyers selecting fish directly from the docks, and company-owned seafood processing facilities to create a clear, direct connection to seafood sources.

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Contact:
Whole Foods Market
McKinzey Crossland, 512-542-0117
mckinzey.crossland@wholefoods.com

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