Starting from April 2023, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn, is set to transition to a transparent and more sustainable tropical shrimp supply chain. In a strategic move towards environmental responsibility, Albert Heijn has forged a partnership with shrimp supplier Klaas Puul, animal feed company Nutreco, and traditional tropical shrimp farmers from Ecuador.

This collaboration is a significant stride towards addressing climate concerns, promoting biodiversity, and ensuring better animal welfare practices. The foundation of sustainability is laid with the exclusive use of soy that is free from deforestation and land conversion in the production of animal feed. Additionally, the fish oil component in the feed is partially substituted with algae oil, while insect meal replaces a portion of the fish meal.

The tropical shrimp sourced from Ecuador for Albert Heijn are cultivated under less intensive farming practices, allowing for more spacious conditions for the shrimp. The ultimate objective is to enhance the overall living conditions for all tropical shrimp within the supply chain.

The transition will begin with the fresh range in April 2024, with plans to extend the transformation to include tropical shrimp in the beverages and frozen range. The target is to accomplish this by the first quarter of 2025 at the latest.

Furthermore, as of Q1 2025, Albert Heijn is committed to ensuring that all shrimp within its supply chain are bred without eyelids, promoting ethical farming practices. Additionally, electric stunning will be implemented before the shrimp are slaughtered.