Nomad Foods-owned UK frozen brand Birds Eye has announced the launch of a new, 100% whole fillet battered “Inspirations” range, introducing certified pangasius and cod. Its “whole basa [pangasius] fillets in a sea salt and malted vinegar batter are Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)-certified, while the “chunky cod fillets in a signature golden batter” carry the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) logo.
In a first for the UK frozen food industry, Birds Eye is the only brand to source pangasius species that is certified by the ASC, it claimed.
“The announcement marks a long-term commitment from Birds Eye to reduce the environmental and social impacts of aquaculture,” it added. Esther Luiten, commercial director with ASC, congratulated Birds Eye on becoming the first frozen food brand to offer ASC-certified pangasius products.
“For 20 years, Birds Eye has pioneered the responsible sourcing of fish, co-founding the MSC program alongside the WWF [World Wide Fund for Nature] and working closely with suppliers and producers to provide responsibly sourced fish that can be traced back to its origin,” said Steve Challouma, UK marketing director with Birds Eye. “As leaders in the frozen food industry, we hope to inspire other brands in the category to support real environmental change and help to transform the UK’s fish market. If all fish brands follow responsible farming methods, we can help to reduce pollution, protect the workforce and decrease the disruption of local ecosystems,” Challouma concluded.
Birds Eye’s “Inspirations” packaging has also been modernized, to emphasize premium, fresh and quality ingredients. From November 2017, Birds Eye will support the new menu-inspired range, with a year-round multi-media digital and advertising campaign across social media and prime-time TV until December 2018.
