Brakes, a Sysco-owned wholesale food supplier, has introduced Sysco’s Portico Seafood line into the U.K.
Houston, Texas, U.S.A.-based Sysco acquired Brakes, headquartered in Ashford, U.K., in 2016 for USD 3.1 billion (EUR 2.8 billion). It currently operates 20 distribution centers throughout the country, and in 2023, it recorded its first profit since 2018, pulling in a profit of GBP 33.7 million (USD 43 million, EUR 39.4 million) on revenue of GBP 4.8 billion (USD 6.1 billion, EUR 5.6 billion), according to City AM.
Sysco’s Portico range consists of premium frozen fish and seafood.
“Portico Seafood specifications are written and audited to guarantee product safety and economic integrity for all Sysco customers. The Portico standards that ensure these advantages include net weight, uniformity, and workmanship. Enjoy the benefits of superior yield, no added ice or water, with minimal defects for more usable product in every case. Click here to learn more,” Sysco said in a press release. “Sourced from specially selected fisheries, Portico Seafood combines quality, value, and consistency to provide customers with the best of the catch, allowing them to capitalize on the growing demand for alternative center-of-plate options.”
Brakes’ initial Portico offerings include frozen portions of monkfish, Cornish sole, and sea bass, as well as scampi, breaded cod certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), salmon fillets supreme, and prawns. It expects to expand the range to 150 items over the next 18 months, all with year-round availability.
“For businesses that serve seafood, Portico delivers consistent, quality products sourced with integrity and a commitment to food safety. Our seafood is harvested with immense respect for the environment and focused on advancing sustainable seafood practices to ensure quality seafood can be enjoyed for generations to come,” Sysco Great Britain CEO Paul Nieduszynski said. “With the wide variety of products on offer, we’re confident that the range will contain all the key ingredients to make fish a tasty part of any menu.”
Portico Seafood comes in Classic and Premium tiers, with its Classic offerings “equal to or better than other national or leading brands, while Portico Seafood Premium delivers exacting specifications, premium performance, and exceptional value.”
“Brakes and its parent company, Sysco, are committed to protecting the fishing industry and fish stocks and ensuring our people and suppliers consider the environment at every part of the procurement and supply chain process,” Brakes said. “Portico Seafood products are all governed by Sysco’s Food Safety & Quality Assurance criteria. They meet the highest standards of food safety, quality and consistency, with the Sysco Quality Assured logo, guaranteeing all products have been evaluated against detailed specifications, and many of the products distributed by Brakes are also assured under the MSC certification scheme.”
Sysco significantly upped its commitment to purchase certified responsible seafood by 2025, as part of an enhanced commitment made in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund in 2021.
