GAA, Gfresh Sign Memorandum Of Understanding
The Global Aquaculture Alliance will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Gfresh in which the two organizations will work collectively to promote responsible aquaculture in China.
As part of the agreement, Gfresh, an online marketplace for seafood, will promote on its e-commerce platform products from Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)-certified facilities, encouraging Chinese and international retail and foodservice buyers to source seafood from responsible operations. A section of its e-commerce platform will be dedicated to the BAP third-party certification program and responsible aquaculture.
In turn, GAA will encourage its network of BAP-certified facilities to capitalize on Gfresh’s service, networks and insights.
The agreement involves a number of other cross-promotional efforts, both online and at events such as GAA’s annual GOAL conference and the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo.
“We feel this partnership with Gfresh is well-suited for the Chinese market, where food safety is a major concern to customers. The food safety component of the BAP standards really offers Chinese retailers a unique marketing tool they can use to satisfy their customers concerns,” said Steve Hart, GAA’s vice president of education and outreach.
“This partnership with GAA is an important first step that will give Chinese buyers the ability to identify and source seafood that are certified safe and sustainable,” said Anthony Wan, vice president and co-founder of Gfresh. The MoU will be officially signed at the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s GOAL 2016 conference in Guangzhou, China, on Sept. 21.
In its first year, Gfresh’s online platform generated more than USD 100 million in seafood trade. The company opened four offices and expanded to 10 buyer cities in China (Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu) and abroad (Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea). Gfresh integrates the entire cold logistics chain — including customs handling, quality inspections and a secure payment system — into one online platform, with the aim of simplifying cross-border trade.
About GAA
The Global Aquaculture Alliance is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing environmentally and socially responsible aquaculture. Through the development of its Best Aquaculture Practices certification standards, GAA has become the leading standards-setting organization for aquaculture seafood.
