The Pacific Northwest is about to dive into a seven-week-long sustainable shopping experience as New Seasons Market and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council launch an extensive in-store and online promotion for certified seafood.

The “Sea Green. Be Green.” campaign – which begins Sept. 12 and continues throughout October, National Seafood Month – will feature New Seasons Market and ASC collaborating on a series of activations to drive awareness of the benefits of responsibly raised, ASC-certified seafood and the meaning behind ASC’s sea green label.

ASC logo. Courtesy of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.

 

The promotion is expected to reach tens of thousands of consumers at all 19 New Seasons Market locations throughout Oregon and Washington, featuring:

• Limited-time specials on ASC-certified products, including Riverence Provisions trout, Sea Tales smoked salmon and Fishwife tinned seafood.
• In-store signage and educational materials about the assurance behind ASC’s label and the importance of shopping for responsibly raised seafood.
• Digital and social media collaborations that highlight the organizations’ mutual sustainability commitment, store specials and the people behind the seafood.

Sept. 12: in-store education and celebration kickoff

“Sea Green. Be Green.” officially kicks off with an in-store activation on Sept. 12 at New Seasons’ Slabtown location in Northwest Portland. Beginning at 2 p.m. until close, the market will transform into a “Certified Seafood Experience,” with activity stations for customers throughout the store, including:

• Samplings and pairings of ASC-certified seafood. 
• Filleting demos by New Seasons’ expert fishmongers.
• Certified seafood and prize giveaways.
• Information on ASC, aquaculture 101 and the farmers behind the seafood.
• A quiz show testing visitors’ seafood savvy and aquaculture expertise. 

The launch reception includes a two-hour program exclusive to area media, food writers, chefs, sustainability advocates, seafood industry members and social media influencers, featuring seafood and wine tastings, presentations, a Q&A and giveaways from New Seasons, ASC and participating brands.

ASC’s largest retail activation to date

ASC’s partnership with New Seasons is the largest retail activation to date in the organization’s multiyear “Sea Green. Be Green.” North American marketing campaign. ASC is going deep in select markets for retail partnerships, restaurant collaborations, food sampling at key festivals and other influential initiatives to build awareness, interest and understanding of its sea green label, sparking national dialogue around the new story of aquaculture.

Portland joins Washington, D.C., and Southern California as key 2023 markets for ASC. The city’s proximity to a vast culinary community, including media, chefs, producers, distributors and retailers, coupled with its historic advocacy of sustainable causes, have made Portland a suitable place for ASC to anchor its campaign. 

“After our first incredible event in Portland last April – when we teamed up with Bamboo Sushi and Blue Ocean Mariculture to host an Earth Month extravaganza centered around eating seafood responsibly – we couldn’t wait to come back,” said Athena Davis, marketing manager, ASC North America. “ASC and our certified partners were blown away by the incredible reception we received from the Portland community. It proves that even in a region that rightfully values the historical importance of wild fishing, there’s room for alternatives that not only provide healthy, consistent protein, but can actually help restore wild fish populations.” 

“As we shift from restaurant to retail this fall,” Davis said, “New Seasons Market has become a key partner whose values reflect our own through their sustainability leadership, support of responsible producers and drive to empower customers.” 

“At New Seasons Market, we integrate sustainability practices into all aspects of our business so it's a natural extension to celebrate National Seafood Month with ASC,” said Daisy Berg, program & category manager-seafood, New Seasons Market. “This is why we’re extending the Sea Green. Be Green. message to our community with unique activations and education through October 31. We look forward to engaging our customers with new and exciting products that demonstrate the importance of ASC’s sea green label when purchasing responsibly raised, high-quality seafood.”

Source: Aquaculture Stewardship Council