PHILIPPINES SEAFOOD PRODUCER GAINS FOS RECERTIFICATION

Philippines seafood producer gains FoS recertification. Philippines-based seafood manufacturer again earns certification for preservation of the marine environment

Phil-Union Frozen Foods, a leading producer of frozen seafood products in the Philippines, has been recertified for sustainable seafood production by Friend of the Sea (FoS).

The company was originally certified in 2013, and has renewed its credential each year after that and means that Phil-Union can continue to display the Friend of the Sea eco-label on its products.

“Phil-Union has demonstrated a strikingly high level of commitment to the environment in all of its practices,” said Paolo Bray, Director of Friend of the Sea. “We are delighted and honoured to work with them again.”

Phil-Union Frozen Foods, Inc. (PUFFI) was established in 2007 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. The 1500-person company produces high-quality products, including pasteurized crab meat in cups and in cans, fresh frozen vacuum-packed tuna cuts, headless shell-on block frozen shrimps and individually quick frozen peeled deveined shrimps. They also produce and other seafood offerings like octopus and giant squid. Their markets are primarily in the USA, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and other parts of Asia.

PUFFI has made certifications a major part of its strategy, emphasizing environmental awareness and production quality. Selected certifications held by PUFFI, in addition to Friend of the Sea, include the British Retail Consortium (BRC) Certificate, the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000), Dolphin-Safe Certificate, Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), and HACCP, GMP,& SSOP Certified by SGS Philippines. They also operate their own chemical and microbiological laboratory with the goal of ensuring that all PUFFI products would meet the chemical and microbiological requirements for fish and fishery products for export.