Hy-Vee announces all sushi is 100 percent responsibly sourced

Hy-Vee Inc. recently announced it has successfully transitioned 100 percent of its sushi to responsible sources. The supermarket chain said all sushi prepared and sold in its 245 Midwestern stores, including Hy-Vee Market Grille restaurants, will now contain seafood that is caught in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

According to its recently updated seafood procurement policy, Hy-Vee is committed to sourcing seafood in its Nori Sushi bars and Hy-Vee Market Grille restaurants that is rated “green” or “yellow” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, certified to an environmental standard equivalent to these ratings, or in a time-bound improvement process.

“We enjoy offering Hy-Vee customers the option of Japanese cuisine with fresh seafood, but we must also safeguard the health of our oceans. We have made it a priority to integrate the concept of sustainable dining into our menu options and Nori Sushi brand,” said Brett Bremser, executive vice president of perishables at Hy-Vee.

According to a press release, Hy-Vee’s goal is to offer sushi to its customers while maintaining a solid commitment to responsible menu choices. Hy-Vee’s sushi options include a variety of the freshest seafood selections, all of which are responsibly sourced.

The ahi tuna used in Hy-Vee’s nori sushi is made with Seafood Watch green-rated, Fair Trade-certified yellowfin tuna. The tempura and ebi shrimp are from BAP 3 Star- and BAP 4 Star-certified sources. The salmon is Seafood Watch yellow-rated Verlasso salmon from Chile. Hy-Vee’s surimi is from the Marine Stewardship Council-certified U.S. Alaska pollock fishery.

Hy-Vee’s updated Seafood Procurement Policy now also includes sustainable shelf-stable tuna. The policy was developed in partnership with FishWise.