It has been 15 years since Brakes became the first foodservice wholesaler to introduce Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) products into the UK foodservice market and it continues to promote the benefits of the non-profit organisation.
Sarah Wilkinson, Brakes’ Head of Food and Brand, said, ‘Brakes now has more than 150 MSC lines, the largest range in foodservice, with a value in excess of £30m, a figure that increased by 3% in 2018, during which time we converted or introduced a further fifteen products into MSC status.
‘We were also the first national wholesaler to introduce the newly accredited MSC British Cod, helping to ensure seafood not just for today, but for future generations.’
However, more importantly, Brakes is the only foodservice supplier to offer its customers the opportunity to come join their MSC certificate and thereby partner in the MSC Chain of Custody which ensures traceability of certified sustainable fish and seafood through every stage of processing, from fishery to final consumer.
All companies that handle or sell MSC certified products must have Chain of Custody certification. Brakes received MSC Group certification as the first foodservice supplier in the UK in 2003, giving customers the confidence that the products they are purchasing come from a fishery certified against the MSC Standard.
Brakes operates the largest Group Chain of Custody certificate in the UK and this enables school caterers and LEAs to gain MSC certification for their schools and use the blue MSC ecolabel on their school menu.
They can also use the free ‘fish and kids’ educational resources to teach children about marine sustainability and their impact as consumers. As a result, schools and local authorities up and down the country can use the MSC logo to convey, via their menu, the importance of using sustainable wild fish.
‘We’re delighted to have worked with Brakes for the past 15 years,’ said Loren Hiller MSC Commercial Officer UK and Ireland. ‘They were, in fact, one of the first foodservice businesses in the UK to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable seafood.
'Their approach has ensured that restaurants, hotels, and catering companies can offer traceable, sustainable seafood for current and future generations.
'This couldn’t have been possible without a concerted effort to build on their already exceptional approach to seafood sourcing, converting existing product lines to MSC and creating new innovative certified sustainable dishes.
'With the global demand for sustainable seafood growing, the MSC looks forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership with Brakes, working together to ensure everybody can play a part in securing a healthy future for our oceans.”