Avendra International Goes the Distance to Source Shrimp You Can Trust

At Avendra International, we go the extra mile to build effective, trusting relationships in every stage of the supply chain. Avendra's hands-on approach — from vetting the correct raw material, through manufacturing and distribution — ensures the best quality at the best price.

As beef prices reach record highs, shrimp has emerged as a high‑protein seafood alternative; it's no wonder the global shrimp market, valued at around $69 billion in 2022, is projected to grow by more than 5% annually through 2030.

A recent trip to Vietnam allowed our strategic sourcing manager and seafood category expert Heather Yee to experience the process of sourcing shrimp firsthand. From hatchery to harvest, Heather traced the full lifecycle — visiting post-larvae ponds at local farms, walking through active shrimp ponds at homes and inspecting five processing plants to ensure standards for quality, sustainability and food safety were being met. Her trip also included a visit to a Dim Sum factory to explore new opportunities for product innovation. This level of on-the-ground insight helps ensure the products we recommend are carefully vetted, responsibly sourced and aligned with your needs.

From Pond to Plate: Verifying Quality on the Ground

“Being on-site allows us to personally verify that each facility is clean, follows rigorous food safety standards and upholds a secure chain of custody — ensuring full traceability and accountability for every shrimp we source,” Heather explained. “By experiencing the suppliers' processes firsthand, we gain valuable insights into cost drivers, which helps us better evaluate their capabilities and pricing, and ensure our customers receive both quality and value.”

The Vietnam trip was hosted by Monterey Bay Aquarium and included head chefs who provided Avendra with valuable insight into end-user requirements for shrimp, allowing us to infuse culinary expertise into our consultative support of properties using the product.

Key Considerations for Sourcing Shrimp

Sourcing shrimp responsibly requires chefs to navigate a sea of environmental, ethical and transparency concerns. The shrimp industry poses real challenges from mangrove destruction and pollution to labor abuses and opaque supply chains. Chefs can support farms that minimize these impacts by choosing certified options. Among those we recommend are MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) for wild-caught and ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council), BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) or Naturland for farmed shrimp.

For Avendra’s Strategic Sourcing team, sustainability is a core factor in evaluating seafood suppliers. We work closely with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program. Ultimately, our goal is that all the seafood we recommend to our clients is, at a minimum, in the yellow “good alternative” space along the Seafood Watch sustainability continuum.

Avendra’s sourcing experts take our commitment to responsible, sustainable, affordable sourcing seriously. When sourcing shrimp, we look for the following:

1. Freshness and quality. When selecting fresh shrimp, we look for a clean, ocean-fresh scent — any strong ammonia odor is a warning sign of spoilage. The texture should be firm to the touch, never slimy or falling apart. Avoid shrimp with a cloudy appearance; healthy shrimp should have a translucent light pink or gray color. Shrimp with shells often deliver better flavor. While black spots (melanosis) on the shell aren’t harmful, they can indicate the shrimp are past peak freshness. Also note that some sellers use sulfite-based preservatives to prevent these spots — important information for anyone with sulfite sensitivities.
2. Compliance and Certifications. We look for adherence to local and international food safety standards (i.e., FDA, EU regulations) and various certifications, including but not limited to BAP, ASC and MSC.
3. Ethical and Sustainable Considerations. We are keenly aware that forced labor and child labor have been linked to the shrimp supply chain in some countries. This is not an acceptable practice for suppliers in our network. We source shrimp from suppliers who prioritize ethical labor practices. We work with suppliers with transparency around labor practices and environmental impact, specifically those that are transparent about origin, harvesting methods, feed , and international certifications of their shrimp.
4. Operational Capabilities and Risk Mitigation: We identify manufacturers that can meet our volume needs with minimal distribution challenges and the ability to scale. They must meet proper efficiency in their operations and support contingency planning to maintain reliable service levels for any potential issues.

The Avendra Edge: In addition to carefully vetted supplier contracting, we conduct product cuttings to inspect every piece individually, weighing them to ensure consistency in size and weight across the batch, verifying that the overall bag weight is accurate. We also check for signs of discoloration, freezer burn or foreign matter.

Avendra International’s sourcing team works behind the scenes to support chefs in consistently serving quality food while meeting responsible sourcing goals. Our approved suppliers are carefully evaluated, wherever they are in the world, to take the guesswork out of procurement, so you can stay focused on what matters most: your guests and your business.