In March, the Associated Press drew international attention when it published an in-depth report detailing major Thai seafood suppliers usage of slavery. Following this investigation, many people felt too apprehensive to buy fresh fish, both from fresh seafood markets or restaurants. As a result, several companies have conducted their own examinations of their operations, with a major restaurant operator becoming the latest to announce that their seafood did not come from enslaved seafood suppliers.
Darden Restaurants is a prominent restaurant operator which owns several major chains located throughout the United States, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, The Capital Grille and Yard House. They also formerly owned Red Lobster, making them a prime suspect for the use of enslaved seafood suppliers. Suspicions were only furthered when the Restaurant Opportunity Center, which is trying to unionize workers at the company’s businesses, pointed out that Darden uses Thai Union, a company with ties to the seafood distributor named in the AP article, to buy fresh seafood. Thai Union has since separated from these seafood suppliers.
However, in early April, Darden representatives announced that they were confident none of their seafood was the product of slavery. While they said that Thai Union had accepted fish from seafood suppliers who used slave labor in the past, the spokesmen reported that their partner had only used this seafood for its pet food products and had immediately terminated its agreement in light of the troubling allegations. Darden restaurants, meanwhile, only buys shrimp raised in aquaculture farms from Thai Union.
Thai Union is currently one of the foremost seafood and fish distributors in the world, supplying major organizations like Walmart, Safeway and numerous other grocers and restaurants. However, despite reassuring statements from partners like Darden Restaurants, the topic has generated a number of questions about seafood sustainability and other issues. While fish continues to be a major component of a healthy diet and a significant source of the planet’s food supply, many shoppers and businesses will likely continue to be hesitant before visiting their local fresh fish market. Fortunately, with a little research, these customers can make sure that their seafood is as ethical and high quality as possible.