Target Eliminates Farmed Salmon From All Target Stores
January 26 2010 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Target Owned Food Brands Will Feature Only Wild-Caught Alaskan
Salmon MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Target® today
announces that it has eliminated all farmed salmon from its fresh,
frozen, and smoked seafood offerings in Target stores nationwide.
This announcement includes Target owned brands - Archer Farms® and
Market Pantry® - and national brands. All salmon sold under Target
owned brands will now be wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Additionally,
sushi featuring farm-raised salmon will complete its transition to
wild-caught salmon by the end of 2010. In consultation with the
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Target is taking this important step to
ensure that its salmon offerings are sourced in a sustainable way
that helps to preserve abundance, species health and doesn't harm
local habitats. Many salmon farms impact the environment in
numerous ways - pollution, chemicals, parasites and non-native
farmed fish that escape from salmon farms all affect the natural
habitat and the native salmon in the surrounding areas. Wild-caught
salmon from Alaska is considered a "Best Choice" by the Monterey
Bay Aquarium and is certified as sustainable to the standard of the
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)(1). Alaskan salmon is among the
most intensively managed species in the world, with excellent
monitoring of both the fish populations and the fishery. "Target
strives to be a responsible steward of the environment, while also
providing our guests with the highest-quality food choices," said
Greg Duppler, senior vice president, merchandising, Target. "Our
guests now have an array of sustainable seafood choices at great
prices." "Target's decision to source sustainable wild-caught
salmon, instead of farmed, will have a real impact in the
marketplace - and ultimately, on the health of our oceans," said
Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
"Increasing the demand for seafood from ocean-friendly sources,
like this Monterey Bay Aquarium 'Best Choice,' charts us on a
course not only to protect our oceans, but to improve fishing and
fish-farming practices around the world." "Greenpeace applauds
Target's decision to replace farmed salmon with wild Alaskan
salmon, a relatively sustainable and healthy product, throughout
its operations," said Casson Trenor, Greenpeace's senior markets
campaigner. "The company's decision to address this issue
represents an incredible willingness to challenge old paradigms in
favor of sound science and environmental preservation, as well as
provide real market value to its guests. We have no doubt that the
leadership by Target will set a new standard for the seafood
industry; one we hope is echoed by other retailers." A number of
Target salmon offerings have been awarded the prestigious MSC
fishery certification, including wild Alaskan salmon fillets,
Archer Farms Frozen Sockeye Salmon Fillets and Market Pantry Frozen
Keta Salmon Fillets. Also, Target currently offers guests multiple
sustainable salmon choices under its owned brands at budget
friendly prices, including: Archer Farms Smoked Sockeye Salmon,
Archer Farms Hot Smoked Pepper Salmon, Archer Farms Cajun Smoked
Sockeye Salmon, Market Pantry Crab Stuffed Salmon Roulade, Market
Pantry Florentine Salmon Roulade and Market Pantry Keta Salmon
Side. About Target Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT)
serves guests at 1,744 stores in 49 states nationwide and at
Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient
shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated
products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has
given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs
like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than
$3 million a week. (1) The Marine Stewardship Council is an
independent non-profit organization that has established a global
environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries.
DATASOURCE: Target CONTACT: Gloria Quinn, Kaplow, +1-212-221-1713
or Target Communications, +1-612-696-3400, Target.com/pressroom Web
Site: http://www.target.com/
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