Bumble Bee Foods Announces Joint Distribution Venture with Pioneering Plant-Based Seafood Brand Good Catch®

Partnership Affirms Consumer Appetite for More Protein Alternatives as Plant-Based Industry Continues to Soar

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bumble Bee Foods, LLC announced today a joint venture partnership with Gathered Foods Corporation, makers of Good Catch® plant-based seafood products. Bumble Bee, one of North America’s largest branded seafood companies, will leverage its sales, distribution and logistics expertise to ensure that consumers nationwide have access to Good Catch products at affordable prices. This venture will make Bumble Bee the first and only major seafood company to partner with a plant-based seafood brand.

“This partnership is a win for Bumble Bee, Good Catch, consumers and the health of our oceans. Bumble Bee has always been deeply committed to sustainable fishing and we have been actively working to manage fish stocks across our portfolio,” said Jan Tharp, President and Chief Executive Officer for Bumble Bee Foods. “It is critically important that as an industry we continue to find innovative solutions to decouple growth with environmental impact. Providing great-tasting alternative ways for consumers to enjoy ocean-inspired foods is a key pillar of our long-term commitment to ocean health.”

Seafood is the next wave in the plant-based revolution that has been centered in the dairy and meat aisle. Good Catch has created great-tasting plant-based products using a proprietary blend of ingredients that offer similar texture, flavor, and nutritional value as seafood, while at the same time promoting healthier oceans. The brand is in a unique position to satisfy the growing consumer appetite for plant-based seafood and through this partnership with Bumble Bee, now has the ability to meet the ever-growing demand.

“Innovative, mission-driven start-ups generally enter the market with limited access,” said Chris Kerr, CEO and Co-Founder of Good Catch. “In forming this partnership with a forward-thinking and deeply rooted company like Bumble Bee we can reach far more consumers who want fish-alternative products. We're excited Bumble Bee is taking this bold step for the industry, for the oceans and the beautiful beings that live in it."

As an independent company, Good Catch will remain focused on developing and marketing great-tasting plant-based products. Bumble Bee will continue to bring consumers sustainably sourced seafood, including tuna, salmon, clams and sardines, in healthy, delicious and innovative ways.

"We are thrilled to see Bumble Bee jump into plant-based seafood with this joint venture,” said Bruce Friedrich, Executive Director of The Good Food Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to making cultivated and plant-based meat and seafood a reality. “As the first major U.S. seafood company to take this step toward getting plant-based seafood onto the plates of as many people as possible, Bumble Bee has proven itself forward-looking and willing to adapt to shifting consumer preferences."

For more information about Bumble Bee Foods, visit www.BumbleBee.com, and for more information about Good Catch Foods, visit www.GoodCatchFoods.com.

ABOUT BUMBLE BEE FOODS

Bumble Bee Foods is on a mission to create a new generation of seafood lovers by delivering delicious, healthy and sustainable seafood options in innovative ways. As an industry leader in sustainability, Bumble Bee works to protect the health of our oceans, marine life and the fishing community through multiple efforts, including the development of dolphin-safe fishing practices, partnerships with organizations like World Wildlife Fund, the Marine Stewardship Council, the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, and as a founder of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), a global partnership of scientists, tuna processors.

Bumble Bee’s full line of seafood and specialty protein products are marketed in the U.S., Canada and over 50 markets globally under leading brands including Bumble Bee^®, Brunswick^®, Clover Leaf^®, Snow’s^®, Wild Selections^® and Beach Cliff^®. For more information, visit www.BumbleBee.com.

ABOUT GOOD CATCH

Good Catch is a chef-driven revolutionary food company developing flavorful, 100% plant-based seafood alternatives. Founded by pioneering chefs Chad and Derek Sarno, Good Catch products offer the taste, texture, nutrition, and experience of seafood without harming the environment. United by love of good food, plant-based eating, and animal welfare, Good Catch is on a mission to raise consciousness, reduce harm, and preserve environmental resources, all while delivering a great culinary experience. The team is dedicated to creating great tasting plant-based foods for everyone, from vegan to omnivore and everything in between. Good Catch Plant Based Fish-Free Tuna is available nationwide in three versatile flavor offerings including Naked in Water, Mediterranean, and Oil & Herbs, with new products coming to market in Spring 2020. Visit GoodCatchFoods.com and follow @goodcatchfoods on Facebook and Instagram.