Frozen food brand FRoSTA has made a commitment to source all seafood from MSC certified fisheries. FRoSTA is currently the only brand in Poland to be switching its entire range of frozen ocean-caught fish to MSC ecolabelled product. All fish from FRoSTA in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania will now come from sustainable and well-managed fisheries.
Blue ecolabel
Oceans provide around one fifth of the global population’s intake in animal protein and support the livelihoods of one tenth the world’s population*. Sustainable fishing is essential in order to ensure healthy, productive oceans full of fish in the future.
The MSC blue ecolabel identifies seafood from sustainable and well-managed fisheries certified to the MSC Standard. The blue ecolabel on packaging assures consumers that the product can be traced back to sustainable fisheries.
FRoSTA leads the way in Poland
FRoSTA joins the international group of MSC certified processors that meet the MSC Chain of Custody Standard for seafood traceability. This ensures that the MSC ecolabel is only displayed on seafood from MSC certified sustainable fisheries.
The MSC ecolabel is already displayed on packets of FRoSTA ‘Fish From The Oven’ and FRoSTA’s flagship ‘Golden Fish Fingers’. By the end of 2014 the full range of FRoSTA’s branded frozen ocean-caught fish will carry the MSC ecolabel.
"As a market leader in frozen fish products in Poland, we are obliged to care about the state of fish stocks and fisheries in the oceans around the globe. We are also aware that we cannot act on our own and we strongly believe that together with fishermen, other processors and consumers we are able to achieve meaningful results. Therefore we are very proud to have achieved MSC certification and we are glad that we can join this global initiative to safeguards fisheries for future generations." says Aleksandra Wysocka, FRoSTA Marketing Manager.
Further commitments across Eastern Europe
FRoSTA MSC ecolabelled fish products have been available for many years to consumers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Now MSC certified products are being introduced not only in Poland but also in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary. This confirms the brand’s commitment to buying raw material from sustainable sources.
Anna Dębicka, MSC Project Manager Poland, explains: "Safeguarding the world’s oceans is essential if we are to maintain healthy fish populations, economies and ecosystems. Almost 300 MSC ecolabelled products, including those produced by FRoSTA, are now available for Polish consumers. Use of the MSC ecolabel on seafood products is only permitted where there has been independent verification that the product originated from a certified fishery. By choosing MSC labelled seafood, everyone can reward fisheries that we committed to sustainable fishing practices."
Engaging consumers
Together with MSC Poland, FRoSTA in Poland have launched an educational consumer campaign to raise awareness of the MSC ecolabel. The campaign, named "Lets care about the sea!", will take place in the country’s six most popular shopping malls. Interactive mobile stands will provide consumers with the opportunity to play interactive games and learn about sustainable fisheries and responsible choices.
* Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' SOFIA report 2014