More than 85 percent of the top U.S., Canadian, and European retailers have commitments to sustainable seafood. Sourcing seafood for a retail grocer is especially difficult in terms of balancing the myriad of considerations about a seafood product, but it's also an extremely rewarding career if you have a thirst for knowledge.
In this episode of The Conch podcast, we chat with Daisy Berg, the Program & Category Manager for Seafood at New Seasons Market. Daisy gives us the full scoop on what it's like to be a seafood buyer for a market, why opting for local seafood is a fantastic choice, and how important it is to try lesser-known species of fish.
Episode Transcript
Episode Guide:
- :00 Intro
- 01:23 Daisy's father started the family seafood business to support his cousin who recently returned from the war in Vietnam.
- 7:00 Sourcing seafood: A day in the life of a seafood retailer.
- 17:07 How a farmed salmon made Daisy "eat her words."
- 22:24 Why "trash fish," aka underappreciated species, deserve our attention.
- 25:36 How seafood sustainability nonprofit advisors work with retailers.
- 29:38 Because "seafood doesn't sell itself," the best thing to do is educate your staff to guide them on a customer's seafood journey.
- 32:47 The uphill road of a woman in the seafood industry, but change is on the horizon.
- 38:30 Women are paid less than men in our industry. We need transparency in salaries.
- 40:54 Do you have an unending thirst for knowledge? The seafood industry might be right for you!
- 41:59 Daisy uplifts colleague Sarah Baker!
- 43:34 Putting the "new" in New Seasons—two of the hottest seafood items are hitting the shelves AND the produce section???
Resources:
- Learn more about New Seasons Market's journey to become the sustainability leader in one of the most climate-friendly communities in the U.S.
- Recommend this episode to one person who is curious about how retailers are driving responsible seafood through their commitments to sustainability.
Credits:
The Conch podcast is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE).
Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado and team at Seaworthy.
Theme music: "Dilation" by Satan's Pilgrims
Funding generously provided by: Davide and Lucile Packard Foundation and Builders Initiative
