Now thousands of customers at pubs, hotels, restaurants, schools and hospitals across the UK will enjoy prawns and basa sourced from farms that care for the environment, the people and local communities
Responsible sourcing is a key element of Brakes strategy. Andrew Crawford, Fish & Seafood Category Manager for Brakes, explained how the foodservice provider is looking to grow its range of ASC certified products, starting with the new warm water prawns.
"We want to be seen as market leaders in the provision of sustainably and responsibly sourced fish and seafood, driving the foodservice market in the right direction and the introduction of ASC certified products into our product range will help us to do this," Crawford said. "We are proud to offer the biggest range of sustainable fish and seafood in the UK and we also work closely with our customers to help them meet their own commitments. Ultimately, sourcing sustainably and responsibly is the right thing to do."
Committed to responsibly farmed seafood
In May 2015 Brakes became the first national wholesale foodservice supplier to sign the Sustainable Fish City pledge, committing to source fish and seafood only from demonstrably sustainable and responsible sources for its own brand, general sale range by May 2016.
As a further extension of their commitment to protect the marine environment, Brakes have also added three lines of ASC certified pangasius Basa to their product offerings this month.
"We are gradually tailoring our range to fulfil our commitment and the new ASC certified shrimp and pangasius will help in this process. We have a long history of sustainable fish and seafood initiatives and accomplishments, and looking at our farmed range is the next logical step," continued Crawford.
"It's a significant moment to have the first ASC certified prawn in UK foodservice now available. The UK foodservice market is a global leader is responsible seafood, and this commitment by Brakes to offer not only shrimp, but also ASC certified Basa, is a strong example that responsible aquaculture is good for business," said Esther Luiten, Senior Commercial Marketing Manager for ASC.
"By choosing ASC certified species, Brakes is supporting farms that protect the environment while offering their customers a responsible choice."
Pubs, schools and others food service providers that source ASC certified products from Brakes can apply for an ASC Chain of Custody Certification, which would allow them to use the consumer facing logo. The ASC logo recognises and rewards those who prioritise responsible aquaculture. Furthermore, the logo lets customers know that their meal originates from a responsible source and gives them confidence that their purchase makes a positive contribution to the health of our oceans, local ecosystems and workers' rights.
Traceability assurance
The ASC certified prawns are sourced from the Vietnamese shrimp farm, Quoc Viet. The family run business was the first Asian shrimp farm to gain ASC certification following independent assessment against the ASC Shrimp Standard.
ASC labelled seafood can be traced back through the supply chain to a responsibly managed fish farm. In order to achieve chain of custody certification each company in the supply chain must meet strict requirements and have in place traceability systems that ensure no product mixing or substitutions can occur.
In January 2025, Vietnam's shrimp exports to the UK reached over 16 million USD, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. The UK is the sixth-largest individual market for Vietnam’s shrimp imports, accounting for 5.5% of the total shrimp exports to various markets. Shrimp also holds the largest share (70%) in Vietnam’s total seafood exports to the UK.
Nguyễn Đức Bình, vice director of Quảng Ngãi Province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that 4,259 out of 5,194 fishing boats (82 per cent) had registered for operations at sea.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first two months of 2025 recorded positive signals in Vietnam's seafood export activities, with total revenue reaching USD 1.423 billion, growing 18.2% compared to the same period in 2024. In February 2025, the export value hit USD 655.197 million, showing an impressive growth of 42.6%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Kiên Giang Province, home to over 13,000 fishing vessels, is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Faced with challenges from offshore fishing, many vessels have shifted to near-shore fishing using destructive methods, severely damaging marine ecosystems.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Hoan Corporation (HOSE: VHC) continues to solidify its position as the leader in Vietnam's pangasius export industry with impressive business results in 2024 and positive prospects for 2025. Factors supporting growth, such as recovering demand, improved selling prices, and favorable international trade policies, make Vinh Hoan one of the top stocks to watch in investment portfolios for 2025.
Amid global trade uncertainties, Việt Nam is prioritising compliance with international market requirements to maintain and expand its agricultural exports.
On February 26, 2025, VinFast and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement to strongly promote green transformation goals. The collaboration between the two parties will contribute to the realization of the country’s sustainable development goals and help elevate the Vietnamese brand on the international market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2024, the total brackish water shrimp farming area in Ca Mau reached 278,600 hectares, with a shrimp output of 242,000 tons. This output achieved 99.59% of the set target and marked a 4.57% increase compared to the same period last year. The average shrimp yield attained 869 kilograms per hectare per year, representing a 38 kilograms per hectare per year increase compared to 2023. Shrimp export turnover reached USD 1.12 billion, positioning Ca Mau amongst the nation's leading localities in this sector.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2024, Ben Tre province expanded its high-technology application in aquaculture by an additional 523 hectares, surpassing the planned target of 500 hectares and achieving a fulfillment rate of 104.6%. To date, the province has converted 3,633 hectares to high-tech aquaculture out of the 4,000-hectare goal, representing 90.82% progress towards the 2021-2025 phase plan. This sector yields an average productivity of 60-70 tons per hectare, with a total output reaching 221,282 tons. The average profit margin ranges from VND 700 to 800 million per farming season, delivering substantial economic benefits to the local populace.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025 In 2025, Vietnam's brackish water shrimp industry will continue to grow sustainably, enhancing value-added products with strong contributions from local authorities and the business community.
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