Welsh fish farm gets Whole Foods deal

Anglesey Aquaculture will start supplying Whole Foods Market from 10th June, 2013.

US-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading retailer of natural and organic foods with a global network of 340 stores.

The grocery chain has seven UK stores and all of its seafood products are sourced from responsibly-managed fish farms and abundant, well-managed wild-capture fisheries. Whole Foods Market’s farmed seafood standards are among the highest in the retail industry. They prohibit the use of antibiotics, added growth hormones, added preservatives like sulfites and phosphates, genetically-modified seafood, and land animal by-products in feed.

Furthermore, its standards require that producers protect water quality, wildlife and ecosystems. Whole Foods Market also requires third-party audits and traceability from farm to market. Its “Responsibly Farmed” logo indicates that a fish meets these high standards.

Kenny Woods, Sales Manager of Anglesey Aquaculture, says: “A recent third-party audit found we ticked all these boxes and more besides. By using an enclosed recirculation system, we ensure there’s no interaction with the outside environment and that the sea bass don’t come into contact with wild fish or birds that could potentially carry disease or infection. All our fish feed comes from sustainable sources and all the waste from the production process is collected, treated and then passed on to local farmers for use as a fertiliser.

He continues: “Anglesey Sea Bass were recently given a ‘1 rating’ by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which is awarded to the most sustainably produced seafood. This contract with Whole Foods Market is the icing on the cake; it’s a perfect fit and acknowledges that we go about our business and raise our fish in the right way.”