Verlasso® and Louisiana Foods Bring Harmoniously Raised Salmon Deep into the Heart of Texas

Partnership with Houston-Based Louisiana Foods Offers Greater Availability of Verlasso^® Salmon in Key Texas Markets

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Verlasso^®, the world’s first provider of harmoniously raised fish, and Houston-based seafood distributor Louisiana Foods, have joined forces to bring Verlasso^® salmon to Texas. Verlasso^® has transformed the aquaculture industry since its introduction in 2011 with its innovative farming methods. Through this new collaboration, Verlasso^® Harmoniously Raised Salmon, will now be available throughout Texas for seafood lovers who care about high-quality, healthy food from a producer they can trust. Verlasso^® salmon also is available at retailers and restaurants through multiple regional distributors and direct-to-retail partnerships across the United States.

“Verlasso® uses less resources and creates a quality fish with a great-tasting mild flavor and silky texture – a win for the environment, the oceans and consumers”

“Verlasso^® uses less resources and creates a quality fish with a great-tasting mild flavor and silky texture – a win for the environment, the oceans and consumers,” said Jim Gossen, founder and chairman of Louisiana Foods. “Oceans produce resources that we continuously take from but never replenish. In order to continue feeding consumers the seafood they crave, we have to recognize that the future is sustainable aquaculture, and the future of aquaculture is Verlasso^®. No other producer can match the Verlasso^® fish in, fish out ratio.”

Through its ground-breaking feeding practices, Verlasso^® requires 75 percent fewer feeder fish to raise Omega-3 rich salmon. In traditional farms, salmon receive Omega-3s from fish meal and fish oil provided by wild caught feeder fish, putting a significant strain on our oceans. While the average “fish in, fish out” ratio for fish oil and fish meal for salmon farms is about four pounds of feeder fish to produce one pound of salmon, Verlasso® has achieved an industry-first “fish in, fish out” ratio of 1:1 for both fish oil and fish meal. The differentiating Verlasso^® 1:1 “fish in, fish out” for fish oil calculation is guided by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s salmon standards created during the World Wildlife Fund’s Salmon Aquaculture Dialogues and has been third-party verified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV).

“Verlasso^® has experienced steady growth over the last 11 months and we are moving full speed ahead. The goal of our partnership with Louisiana Foods is to extend our premium salmon to consumers in Texas who care about healthy, sustainable and delicious salmon,” said Scott Nichols, director of Verlasso. “Louisiana Foods shares our philosophy of sourcing fish in a way that ensures it will meet global demand for years to come. We’re a natural fit to fulfill Louisiana Food’s goal to offer sustainable seafood to its retail customers and their shoppers.”

As part of this new partnership, Verlasso^® will exhibit with Louisiana Foods at the Sysco Food Show on Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Reliant Center in Houston. During the event, attendees will enjoy grilled Verlasso^® Salmon with Arugula Chimichurri prepared by Chef Jennifer Bushman, a culinary consultant for Verlasso^®.

For more information about Verlasso^® harmoniously raised salmon, for sales inquiries and to find additional locations where Verlasso^® can be purchased, visit www.verlasso.com. Or, join the conversation on the Verlasso^® Conversations blog: http://www.verlasso.com/conversation/all, on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon.

About Verlasso

Verlasso® is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world’s leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. The Verlasso® harmoniously raised salmon was recognized by Seafood International magazine as a “Best New Food of 2011”, and as a “Top Food Trend of 2012” by Specialty Food magazine.

Verlasso® is a brand and trademark of AquaChile. AquaChile and DuPont formed a collaboration that will blend the collective innovation and aquaculture expertise of the companies to identify how to raise fish sustainably to provide nutritious protein for a growing population.

About Louisiana Foods

The company was originally formed in 1972 by three partners, Jim Gossen, Billy Landry and Floyd Landry, in Morgan City, La. Louisiana Foods is an icon in Texas and western Louisiana, with a respected reputation in the hotel, supermarket and foodservice industries for its prepared foods, foodservice and high quality seafood, including fresh oysters and sushi. In August 2012, Louisiana Foods was acquired by Sysco Corporation, expanding the distributor’s reach to Arkansas, Oklahoma and all of Louisiana.