Overwaitea Food Group and SeaChoice partner

Grocery retailer one of first in North America to actively commit to healthier oceans

(June 11, 2009 – Vancouver, BC) The Overwaitea Food Group (OFG), in partnership with Canada’s national seafood program, SeaChoice, is committing to a bold sustainable seafood policy that will help its consumers make better choices for themselves and the oceans.

This partnership, one of the first of its kind in North America, will see the two organizations working closely together to support sustainable fishing industry practices and provide OFG team members and customers with facts and information about the seafood they choose to buy.

OFG President Steve van der Leest, who appeared alongside renowned environmentalist David Suzuki to announce the new partnership, says the company is proud to be part of such a leading-edge project.

“We’re always looking for ways to add value for our customers and we’re proud of our award-winning history of doing the right thing for the environment. We work hard to be a trusted source when it comes providing our customers with information and choices that help them make buying decisions that are right for them, and this partnership is one more way we can do just that.”

The collaboration includes the adoption of several initiatives guided by SeaChoice, which is a made-in- Canada program that provides science-based sustainability assessments of seafood to Canadian consumers, fishermen, chefs and businesses.

In addition to launching a consumer education and awareness program and committing to help reform industry practices to ensure a more sustainable supply of seafood, OFG has already removed many SeaChoice red-listed species from store shelves and begun the process of stocking additional greenlisted products, including Western Family private label products in the near future.

“OFG has committed to a sustainable seafood policy and are taking some tangible, immediate steps to stop selling products that are unsustainable,” said Bill Wareham, SeaChoice representative and marine conservation specialist with the David Suzuki Foundation. “This partnership is the beginning of a journey, and with the support of forward-thinking retailers like OFG, we can make a real difference for our oceans.”

OFG operates a total of 117 stores in Western Canada. The company has been in operation for more than 94 years, with its first store originally located in New Westminster, BC. With the support of 16,000 team members, OFG serves over 80 communities with six store formats - Save-On-Foods, Overwaitea Foods, PriceSmart Foods, Cooper’s Foods, Urban Fare and Bulkley Valley Wholesale.

For more information, contact:
OFG Media Relations
(604) 888-2079, ext. 2200