U.S. Foodservice Is First Broadline Distributor to Offer Certified Sustainable Farm-Raised and Wild-Caught Seafood

October 29, 2009

ROSEMONT, Ill., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Foodservice, one of the country's premier foodservice distributors, today 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.

Initial offerings will include catfish, shrimp and tilapia. 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.

"U.S. Foodservice is committed to offering sustainable product choices to our customers who expect and demand the most environmentally responsible foods," said Jorge Hernandez, senior vice president for food safety and quality assurance.

"The GAA certification of farm-raised seafood fills an important gap in seafood procurement processes and we are committed to continued partnership with the food industry to promote environmentally responsible aquaculture to meet the world's food needs," said Hernandez.

Through the development of its BAP certification program, GAA has become the leading 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.

"We are pleased that U.S. Foodservice has joined the growing ranks of retail and foodservice operators and distributors in North America and Europe who support the BAP program," said GAA Executive Director, Wally Stevens. "Their leadership in the area of sustainability makes a difference for producers around the world as well as for consumers who seek sustainable products."

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 an exclusive line of Monogram Sustain® disposable products that are made with renewable resources such as corn, sugar cane and potato starch. The products are compostable, biodegradable and petroleum-free.

About U.S. Foodservice

U.S. Foodservice is one of the country's premier foodservice distributors, offering more than 43,000 national, private label and signature brand items and an array of services to its more than 250,000 customers. The company proudly employs 26,000 associates in more than 60 locations nationwide who are poised to serve customers beyond their expectations. As an industry leader, with access to resources beyond the ordinary, U.S. Foodservice provides the finest quality food and related products to neighborhood restaurants, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, hotels, government entities and other eating establishments. To find out how U.S. Foodservice can be Your partner beyond the plate®, visit www.usfoodservice.com.

About GAA

Founded in 1997 to promote responsible aquaculture development, the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) is the leading standards-setting and advocacy organization for aquaculture seafood, with more than 1.1 billion pounds of globally produced seafood now certified to its Best Aquaculture Products standards. BAP® is a registered trademark of GAA.

SOURCE U.S. Foodservice