Regal Springs Tilapia Is World’s First Tilapia Producer to Use Traceability Integrating Directly with BAP Certification Systems
Regal Springs Tilapia is the world’s first tilapia producer to use traceability that integrates directly with the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification systems.
This innovation is enabled by the Wholechain traceability system and has been designed in collaboration with BAP with the goal of enabling real time data monitoring for BAP’s certification.
The Switzerland-based company, a world leader in premium tilapia, grows tilapia in floating pens in lakes. Its farms and processing facilities located in Mexico, Honduras and Indonesia are all BAP certified. Regal Springs partnered with the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA), which owns the BAP program, and Wholechain to launch the traceability integration, bringing unprecedented transparency and verification to sustainability claims in farmed tilapia. Regal Springs’ traceability is further enhanced due to Wholechain’s integration with the Mastercard Provenance Solution, a global blockchain-based solution which enables verifiable records of all traceability events.
The purpose of the traceability system is to bring more visibility to the origins of Regal Springs’ tilapia and to the standards to which the company’s farms and processing plants are held. BAP-certified farms and processing plants are audited annually by a third-party auditor and held to high standards for environmental responsibility, social accountability, food safety, and animal health and welfare.
Regal Springs, GSA and Wholechain initiated this collaboration with the Full Circle Market private label brand of tilapia available at grocery stores across the United States with QR codes that consumers scan to learn about their quality standards as well as their social responsibility and sustainability practices.
“As a vertically integrated producer, traceability is in our DNA and we are excited about this collaboration,” said Edward Kiger, managing director of Regal Springs Trading.
“We commend Regal Springs, Wholechain and Mastercard for collaborating with us on a project that will lead to more visibility in the seafood supply chain, which our retail and foodservice partners as well as consumers are asking for,” said GSA COO Brian Perkins. “This has the potential to be a game changer on the traceability front.”
“The convergence of technology enablers such as blockchain with the complexities of modern supply chains creates opportunities for traceability, building trust and streamlining operations for parties,” said Deborah Barta, senior VP of provenance and strategy for Mastercard. “In partnership with Regal Springs, GSA and Wholechain, the industry-agnostic Mastercard Provenance Solution supports ESG certifications, enabling the verification of sustainability claims in farmed tilapia with end-to-end visibility.”
Feed Forward, a food impact agency based in New York City, is a key partner to Wholechain in connecting these products to neighborhood grocers and our communities. As an added benefit to the sales of these products in grocers like Lincoln Markets, a percentage will go back to Feed Forward’s More Than A Meal program. More Than A Meal supports local communities impacted by food insecurity through a simple tech-backed platform that matches individuals and families with meals and groceries in their neighborhoods.
Lincoln Market supermarkets based in New York City will be the first in the state of New York to carry the tilapia, in addition to the whole Full Circle Market product line of fully traceable sustainable seafood, starting in late November. “We always focus on quality for our customers. Knowing that this product is of the highest quality and is backed by end-to-end visibility for us and our consumers, while simultaneously giving back to our community via the More Than A Meal program, is a homerunk and we can’t wait to get started,” said Khalil A., store manager for Lincoln Market.
“This initiative is a prime example of the impact that we have set out to do as an organization. Our communities are receiving quality products, traceability information and education about the product, while also supporting their neighbors in need. Like the name on the package states, it truly is full circle,” said Liz Peralta Foxwell, co-founder and VP of impact for Feed Forward.
About Best Aquaculture Practices
Best Aquaculture Practices is a third-party certification program developed by the Global Seafood Alliance, an international, nonprofit trade association headquartered in Portsmouth, N.H., USA, dedicated to advancing environmentally and socially responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy and third-party assurances. Through the development of its Best Aquaculture Practices and Best Seafood Practices certification standards, GSA has become the leading standards-setting organization for seafood.
About Regal Springs
Regal Springs is the largest vertically integrated white fish farming producer in the world. The company operates Responsible Aquaculture and Processing in Indonesia, Honduras and Mexico and is famous for producing Premium all-natural Tilapia. Their commitment to Responsible Aquaculture operations and respect for their colleagues and the communities they operate in is a way of working throughout the business. All Regal Springs Premium Tilapia are raised in large floating nets in deep-water lakes. Their fish fillets are free from antibiotics, growth hormones, additives or chemicals, and have merited BRC, BAP and ASC certifications. Regal Springs has an industry-leading We Care program that cares to produce high quality fish while caring for our environment and communities. Regal Springs AG global headquarters are in Switzerland, while Regal Springs Trading, is their U.S. based branch, handling sales and logistics from offices in Miramar, Florida.
About Wholechain
Wholechain is a blockchain-based traceability solution built by Envisible to enable trust, coordination, and transparency in fragmented supply chains. Wholechain works across commodities allowing businesses to manage risks and increase efficiencies while enabling consumers to make more responsible decisions. Wholechain is a partner on Mastercard’s blockchain, former winner of the Fish 2.0 Competition at Stanford for Supply Chain Innovation, and winner of the FDA’s Low- or No-Cost Food Traceability Challenge. Find out more at Wholechain.com.
About Mastercard Provenance Solution
Built on blockchain technology, the industry-agnostic Mastercard Provenance Solution helps brands provide visibility into product journeys and a clear record of traceability designed to contribute to consumer confidence, trust and awareness. Transforming global supply chains with the power of Mastercard’s network, the Mastercard Provenance Solution brings scale and seamless payments services to industry partners.
About Feed Forward
A first-of-its-kind food impact agency, Feed Forward delivers tangible and impactful solutions that connect technology and innovation with the needs of our communities. The overall mission of the organization is a resilient and fair food economy, with a current focus on food access, food as medicine, and supply chain. To learn more please visit Feedfwd.com. For inquiries, please reach out to Meg Savage, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer (megs@feedfwd.com).
