This could mean tweaking its current business model while streamlining its chain of custody process, Nicolas Guichoux, who heads the MSC’s Europe activities, told IntraFish.
A key focus will be on making the MSC’s Chain of Custody (CoC) process better adapted to the foodservice segment, including at wet fish counters in retailers.
“A big part of our commitment, the big work in progress at the moment, is to make our chain of custody program more adapted to restaurants and fishmongers. Most of the companies at the moment that have gone through chain of custody are in the middle of the supply chain, like wholesalers or processors,” Guichoux said.
Unlike foodservice players, retailers typically only need CoC certification for a limited range of products, since most of the products they buy are pre-packed and sold as such to consumers, Guichoux said.
“That’s what has probably slowed down our progress in the foodservice segment. Despite these differences, we have witnessed a strong uptake over the past 12 months with companies like McDonald's and Sodexo but also with schools, universities and even Michelin starred restaurants - demonstrating the increasing interest from this important sector.”
At the moment, companies who want to use the MSC logo as a consumer-facing label on a product pay a fixed fee of $250 (€192.9) to $2,000 (€1,543) a year, in addition to 0.5 percent of their net wholesale sales value to the MSC.
To encourage more companies to use the logo, the MSC is consulting at the moment with some of its commercial partners to tweak its existing logo charging structure linking it to sales discount or marketing incentives, Guichoux said.
The organization is also looking at a “much more radical changereduce its dependence on logo licensing income, he said.
However, he said: “We haven’t started the process yet.”
Expanding to China, Japan
Nearly 15,000 products worldwide are currently MSC certified, representing sales of more than $3 billion (€2.3 billion).
To increase this number, the organization will also expand its reach to markets such as China, Japan, and South Africa, the MSC said.
“The primary market objective over the next five years is to double the overall market share for MSC-certified seafood,” the organization said in an outline of its five-year plan.
“That will equate to market share of around 30-40 percent throughout advanced markets in northern Europe, a quadrupling of current market share in the US and Canada, a growing MSC market presence in Australia/New Zealand, Japan and southern Europe, and introducing the MSC concept in China and select markets in Asia.”
Already, the organization has recruited its first Asia director as parts of plans to expand in China.
In southern Europe and Japan, it said, the aim is to have “at least a dozen major corporate commitments to the MSC” by 2017.
Registered as a non-profit charity in the UK, the MSC has two main sources of income: the logo licensing scheme on the one hand, and grants and donations on the other. The former generated £6.3 million (€7.9 million/$10.2 million) in the 12 months ending at the end of March 2011, a 54 percent increase from the previous year. Income from the latter was up by 15percent the same year, to £6.45 million (€8 million/$10.4 million).
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
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