Whole Foods Market is promoting Arctic char this month at its 270-plus stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
In a Jan. 5 press release, the natural foods retailer described the salmon and trout relative as “a sweet and mild crowd pleaser” traditionally featured on fine-dining menus.
Whole Foods’ Arctic char is raised in re-circulating tanks by the Samherji fish farmers cooperative in Iceland.
“Land-based tanks offer excellent water quality control and extra protection against farmed fish escaping into the wild. And they also protect the char from predators,” says Carrie Brownstein, Whole Foods’ seafood quality standards coordinator. “These farmers are working hard to take care of this unique environment.”
“When it comes to flavor, Arctic char is a relatively untapped gold mine. This fish is naturally rich and holds its own under bold seasoning,” says Birgir Ossurarson, Samherji’s sales and marketing manager. “Our Icelandic farming co-op raises healthy, earth-friendly Arctic char without the use of antibiotics, added growth hormones or land-animal byproducts in feed.”
In July, Whole Foods announced that it would soon require its farmed seafood suppliers to undergo an independent, third-party audit against new internal aquaculture standards to ensure the product it sells is raised in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
