JCCU expands sustainable product offerings

This includes 18 products that use whitebait as an ingredient.

The Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU) has launched a series of 18 shirasu or whitebait products under its “CO-OP Sustainable Product” series, the consumers’ cooperative federation said in a news release.

Some products in the small pack series that use shirasu as an ingredient will now be sold with the Marine Eco-Label Japan (MEL) mark.

The CO-OP Sustainable Product series uses seafood from certified sustainable fisheries as its main ingredient. MEL is one of these certifications, and the Marine Eco-Label Japan Council certifies fisheries and aquaculture operations conducted with respect to marine resources and ecosystems, the group said.

Under JCCU’s "2030 Goals for CO-OP Brand Products," the group aims to grow the number of its certified marine products and increase the ratio of certified products to more than 50% of the total value of supply.