Food Services of America, one of the largest broadline foodservice distributors in the United States, has just added Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified seafood to ten regional distribution centers, certified by SCS Global Services (SCS). FSA's MSC chain-of-custody certification establishes the traceability of MSC certified seafood from dock to distributor to dinner plate. The MSC standard ensures that wild-caught fish were harvested in a manner that prevents overfishing, minimizes bycatch, maintains ecosystem health and supports inclusive governance processes.

"FSA's leadership demonstrates that responsible seafood sourcing is scalable," says Dr. Robert J. Hrubes, executive vice president at SCS Global Services. "Its certification supports the sustainability values of buyers and consumers alike."

FSA supplies fresh food products to restaurants and commercial kitchens in the US Midwest and Western states, as well as Alaska. The first distribution center to begin sourcing MSC-certified seafood will be in the Pacific Northwest. Since FSA ships thousands of different kinds of food products at volumes in the hundreds of thousands of cases, its commitment to source MSC-certified seafood will have a large ripple effect.

"We understand the importance of protecting the world's seafood resources," says Jeff Chester, FSA director of Quality Assurance & Supplier Information. "MSC certification gives our customers the choice to support sustainable seafood with the ability to market this choice to their diners."

FSA's MSC certification aligns with the distributor's broad sustainability goals and programs, which enable buyers to choose high-quality food products while providing a positive environmental impact.