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**When Your Tuna Gets a Blue Check**

2h ago · 2 sources · trend

Chicken of the Sea just did something no other major US seafood brand has done. Its entire tuna portfolio is now certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. That stamp traces back to parent company Thai Union’s SeaChange 2030 plan, backed by about $200 million through 2030. Thai Union says fisheries under its sustainability efforts now represent about 10% of global tuna catches.

The pricing is where it gets interesting. Chicken of the Sea’s MSC-certified tuna runs about $2.50 per can. Starkist sits at $1.27. Sea Tales’ certified albacore lands near $5.69. Chicken of the Sea is threading the needle, certified but still mid-shelf.

Consumers are paying attention. Circana says 83% of seafood customers bought more or the same amount of fish versus last year. About 59% say sustainability or certification matters. And 57% are more likely to purchase seafood sourced from Alaska.

The catch, seafood demand is concentrated. In the US, 10% of consumers account for 42% of seafood purchases.

Why it matters: sustainability is moving from niche to table stakes. When 59% of buyers say certification matters, the blue label stops being a premium flex and starts looking like a cost of entry. The real unlock is converting the other 90%. If Chicken of the Sea can make certified tuna feel normal at $2.50, not elite at $5.69, the whole shelf shifts.

Key facts

  • Chicken of the Sea says its entire tuna portfolio is now certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, marking a first for a major US seafood brand.
  • Chicken of the Sea’s MSC accreditation stems from parent company Thai Union’s SeaChange 2030 initiative, a sustainability strategy backed by roughly $200 million through 2030.
  • Thai Union says fisheries certified under its sustainability efforts now represent about 10% of global tuna catches.
  • Chicken of the Sea’s MSC-certified tuna retails around $2.50 per can, compared to Starkist at $1.27 per can and Sea Tales’ certified albacore at about $5.69 per can.
  • Safe Catch is expanding into frozen seafood with pollack nuggets and tuna burgers, applying its proprietary mercury-testing standards.
  • Circana research found that 83% of seafood customers purchased more or the same amount of fish compared to last year.
  • Circana research found that 59% of seafood buyers say sustainability or certification is important, and 57% are more likely to purchase seafood sourced from Alaska.
  • In the U.S., 10% of consumers buy 42% of seafood, indicating consumption is concentrated among a small group of shoppers.
  • $200 million
  • 10%
  • $2.50
  • $1.27
  • $5.69
  • 83%
  • 59%
  • 57%

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