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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a relatively sluggish first quarter, Vietnam's exports of fish cakes and surimi showed a clearer recovery in the second quarter, particularly in June. Export value in the first six months of 2026 reached USD 148 million, down 2% year on year. However, the newly imposed 12.5% additional U.S. tariff on Vietnamese goods, intensifying competition in Northeast Asia, and increasingly stringent traceability requirements in the EU are making the outlook for the second half of the year more uncertain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In June 2026, Vietnam's shrimp exports reached nearly USD 458 million, up 24% year-on-year. In the first six months of 2026, export value totaled USD 2.35 billion, an increase of 14.2% compared with the same period last year. Growth was driven mainly by the Chinese market and the strong performance of lobster exports, while shrimp exports continued to face pressure from U.S. tariffs and rising logistics costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program is designed as a specialized B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers, providing opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood exporters, gain the latest market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A project titled "Sustainable Shrimp Industry Governance" has been launched in Ca Mau Province with the aim of supporting the transition of the province's shrimp industry toward higher quality, lower emissions, stronger governance capacity, improved supply chain traceability, and the development of a sustainable shrimp brand that meets the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Khanh Hoa Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Center for Marine Aquaculture Research and the Van Hung Public Service Center, recently organized a training course on disease-free golden pompano seed production. The program is part of a National Agricultural Extension Project aimed at developing industrial-scale seed production models to support sustainable marine aquaculture.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The application of high technology in shrimp farming is delivering positive results in the coastal areas of Vinh Long Province, contributing to improved production efficiency and creating significant potential for further industry expansion. However, to fully capitalize on this potential, the province is focusing on aquaculture zoning, infrastructure investment, and promoting modern, sustainable production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Đồng Tháp Province has intensified efforts to curb illegal fishing by strengthening vessel monitoring, law enforcement and seafood traceability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood businesses need solutions to overcome bottlenecks such as labor shortages, difficulty accessing capital, high input costs, and administrative procedures in order to maintain production, adapt to market fluctuations, and effectively exploit export opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The FTA would widen access to markets with strong demand for premium food products in line with the country’s strategy of shifting exports towards increasing added value.
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