JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southeastern Grocers LLC, parent company of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, has become the first North American retail member of the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF), the non-profit association that is committed to supporting small-scale fisheries that pursue high quality, responsible and ethical tuna caught using one-by-one methods.
To coincide with this announcement, Southeastern Grocers has launched an exclusive private label-Fisherman’s Wharf, pole-and-line, canned albacore tuna product displaying the IPNLF ‘Supporting Member’ logo to demonstrate its commitment to the most environmentally and socially desirable methods. The Fisherman’s Wharf Albacore Tuna is on the shelves of select BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys and Winn-Dixie stores for $2.49 a can.
Ian McLeod, President and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, said, “At Southeastern Grocers, we know how important it is to support sustainable fisheries and we are very pleased to be the first North American retail member of the International Pole & Line Foundation."
Southeastern Grocers has become the 42nd Member of IPNLF. The company’s membership is a further step in its on-going support for environmentally and socially responsible tuna fisheries and for improved tuna management worldwide.
In partnership with members, IPNLF provides much-needed support for fishing communities who are heavily reliant upon those fisheries, and works on practical fisheries improvements and stronger management to meet the growing global demand.
Commenting on Southeastern Grocers’ membership, Adam Baske, Director Policy & Outreach at IPNLF, said, “It is fantastic to have our first retail Member in the US market on board with our mission to see coastal tuna fishing communities thrive alongside healthy ocean ecosystems. We look forward to working with Southeastern Grocers to further demonstrate the value of sourcing from one-by-one tuna fisheries, and encourage other retailers in North America to join this collaborative effort.
IPNLF is a hub for proactive companies like Southeastern Grocers who want to reward fishing communities committed to the highest environmental and social standards. The global demand for these products continues to grow as a result of companies using their buying power to create the future they want to see.”
Membership of IPNLF is open to all stakeholders involved in the one-by-one tuna supply chain, from fisheries associations to processors, food service and retailers, and all members are encouraged to engage in fisheries improvement.
About Southeastern Grocers
Southeastern Grocers, LLC, parent company and home of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is the fifth largest conventional supermarket in the U.S. The company employs nearly 60,000 associates who serve customers in grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies throughout the seven southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and loyal associates, and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.bi-lo.com, www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.
About IPNLF
The International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF) works to develop, support and promote socially and environmentally responsible pole-and-line handline and troll tuna fisheries around the world. IPNLF’s ambition is to contribute to thriving coastal fisheries, including the people, communities, businesses and seas connected with them. As a hub for sustainably-minded organisations, we use the influence of the market to forge change through practical fishery projects and stakeholder cooperation. IPNLF membership is open to organisations involved in the one-by-one caught tuna supply chain. Allied with our Members, IPNLF demonstrates the value of one-by-one caught tuna to consumers, policymakers and throughout the supply chain. We work across science, policy and the seafood sector, using an evidence-based, solutions-focused approach with guidance from our Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee and Board of Trustees. IPNLF was officially registered in the United Kingdom in 2012 (Charity 1145586), with branch offices in London and the Maldives, and a staff presence in Indonesia, South Arica, France, and the United States.
