Bon Appétit Management Company Featured in State of Seafood Report
The Monterey Bay Aquarium named Bon Appétit Management Company a top North American company committed to sustainable seafood purchasing
Palo Alto, Calif. (October 21, 2009) — Bon Appétit Management Company is featured in a newly released report, Turning the Tide: The State of Seafood, from the Monterey Bay Aquarium that documents the state of wild fisheries and aquaculture, and points to food service companies that are mainstreaming sustainable fish purchasing.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has once again set the gold standard with this report, both in action to save the oceans, and for providing usable information in the form of the “Super Green” list that chefs and culinary leaders need to evolve their sourcing polices to the next level of sustainability. Bon Appétit is mentioned as one of the top North American Sustainable Seafood companies, having made the first and one of the largest commitments to sustainable seafood purchasing.
Bon Appétit has partnered with the Aquarium since 2002, removing red list species from menus and making green list species first choice for purchasing long before ocean conservation and human health issues were on the radar of most food businesses. The company sees the report both as a reinforcement of its existing policy in effect in all 400 cafés in 30 states across the nation and also as a call to other companies to do the same for the health of their guests and of the ocean.
Of particular interest to Bon Appétit chefs is the clarity of advice to seafood consumers that comes from a section of the report listing the Best of the Best choices as of October 2009. The “Super Green” list connects human health and ocean health, offering seven species recommendations that are low in environmental contaminants as well as good sources of omega-3 fatty acids crucial to human health.
“The Super Green List is a brilliant piece of concrete guidance from the leader in ocean conservation. Consumers want to know which seafood choices are both good for them to eat and good for the health of the oceans. This is the best attempt I’ve seen to clearly define ‘what to eat’ for concerned consumers. I know my chefs are enthusiastic about putting mussels and rainbow trout on our menus!” says Fedele Bauccio, CEO of Bon Appétit Management Company.
The report provides reason for hope. Through science-based fisheries management, consumer awareness, and innovative initiatives from businesses like Bon Appétit, the market is driving change. A company such as Bon Appétit with a long-term focus on scaling the ethical supply chain is in a strong position; as consumer awareness and industry movement toward sustainability increases, it serves as a model for positive change.
About Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit Management Company (www.bamco.com) is an onsite restaurant company offering full foodservice management to corporations, universities and specialty venues. Bon Appétit is committed to sourcing sustainable, local foods for all cafés throughout the country. A pioneer in environmentally-sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit has developed programs addressing local purchasing, the overuse of antibiotics, sustainable seafood, cage-free eggs, and most recently, the connection between food and climate change. The company has received numerous awards for its work from organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council, Seafood Choices Alliance, The Humane Society of the United States, and Food Alliance. Based in Palo Alto, CA, Bon Appétit has more than 400 cafés in 30 states, including eBay, the University of Pennsylvania and the Getty Center.