Opportunities Selling into Chain Markets
Aquaculture and Whole Foods Market
Stephen CorradiniWhole Foods Market - South Region
Regional Vice President
Whole Foods Market Seafood
❖ Seafood is integral to Whole
Foods Market’s culture and
mission.
❖ Key third party partnerships:
❖ Marine Stewardship Council
❖ Monterrey Bay Aquarium
❖ The Safina Center
❖ Internally developed
Aquaculture Standards
Aquaculture Standards
❖ Separate standards for salmon, other finfish, shrimp and
mollusks.
❖ Standards developed with producers, environmentalists and
scientists. Verified by independent third party for industry
leading traceability and quality.
❖ Highlights:
❖ No antibiotics, growth hormones, sex reversal hormones or
poultry and mammalian products in the feed.
❖ No genetically modified or cloned seafood.
❖ Density monitoring and standards by species.
❖ Minimize impacts on the environment by protecting sensitive
habitats, monitoring water quality, sedimentation below
farms and responsible feed sourcing.
❖ No added preservatives (sodium bisulfite, sodium tri-
polyphosphate and sodium metabisulfite) or synthetic
pigments.
❖ No pesticides, parasiticides or synthetic herbicides.
Regional versus Global
Whole Foods Market Purchasing StructureGlobal Purchasing
❖ David Pilat - Global Coordinator
❖ Carrie Brownstein - Quality Standards
❖ Jeremy St. Gelais - Purchasing Coord.
Regional Purchasing
❖ Stephen Townshend - Coordinator
❖ Kyle Frederick - Assoc. Coord.
❖ Valerie Gamblin - Assoc. Coord.
❖ Andrew AuBuchon - Assoc. Coord.
Local Purchasing Power
Southern Aquaculture Partners❖Carolina Classics
❖Taylor Fish Farms
❖Greene Prairie
❖Pointe aux Pins
❖War Shore Oysters
❖Caviar Star
❖Livingston Farms
National Purchasing Power
National Aquaculture Partners❖ Scottish (Shetlands),
Norwegian and Icelandic
Farmed Salmon
❖ Tilapia Azul - Aquaperu
❖ Rushing Waters Fisheries
❖ Peruvian Paiche
❖ Icelandic Arctic Char
❖ Fish Breeders (Idaho Trout)
❖ Greek Branzini
How do I sell to Whole Foods?
❖ Have a product we want
• Species, geography, price, quality,
format, seasonality
❖ Supplier onboarding process
• Third party farm audit
• Food safety audit
• Processing facility audit
❖ Distribution, pricing and support
• WFM or distributor
• Demo and marketing support
• Pricing and promotions
So what does Whole Foods Market
need?
Differentiation in an Ever-Changing Retail Environment
❖ Value Added
❖ Seasonal
❖ Exclusive
❖ First to Market
❖ Unique
❖ Value
❖ Premium