Ethos Seafood Group Transforms Prepackaged Seafood Category With Recycled/ Recyclable Film

Rancho Dominguez, CA /PRNewswire/ - Ethos Seafood Group ('ESG") announced the transitioning of their seafood packaging into #1 PET recyclable material. The recyclable packaging is the result of a two year development effort between Ethos Seafood Group and MULTIVAC, which focused on eliminating single use plastics and establishing the pre-packaged format as the preferred way for customers to buy quality seafood.

Ivan Clements, Co-President at Ethos Seafood Group and partner at Blue Earth Group noted, "Plastics are a primary concern for everyone in the seafood industry. Alongside our partners at MULTIVAC, we identified the pressing need to transition vacuum skin-pack films into a recyclable format. We are very pleased to have achieved this goal for the base trays, with the additional customer benefit of having an easy-peel top film."

Michael Cigliano, Co-President at Ethos Seafood Group and Chairman of Santa Monica Seafood noted, "Pre-packaged seafood has many benefits for customers, such as easy handling, freshness, no waste and traceability. This is especially true today with customers' increased need to minimize touchpoints and their time in store. Retailers look to ESG for solutions; from MAP to vacuum skin-pack we have always focused on the next opportunity to help grow their fresh seafood sales. We believe that this new recyclable packaging development not only is the right thing to do but also solidifies ESG's leadership position as an innovator in pre-packaged seafood."

Gregg Poffenbarger, Business Unit Manager at MULTIVAC commented, "MULTIVAC has worked with Ethos Seafood Group on the chilled, pre-packaged seafood category since its inception and are very pleased to have achieved this milestone in film development and application. The base tray, which makes up the majority of the package, is made from #1 mono PET film, generally the most recyclable material used today, and this film also includes a high percentage of recycled material. To further ensure recyclability we have developed a clean release/peel from the breathable top film. MULTIVAC's advancements in film recyclability and customer benefits demonstrate our commitment to innovation in the food packaging space. We look forward to ongoing collaboration with ESG as this new category grows."

About Ethos Seafood Group
Ethos Seafood Group is a joint venture between Santa Monica Seafood and Blue Earth Group. ESG develops and sells pre-packaged, chilled seafood products to food retailers. ESG's retail grocery customers and their shoppers increasingly understand the benefits of case-ready, pre-packaged seafood. In addition to offering all major seafood species in a fresh format, ESG also develops value-added seafood products with rubs, sauces and butters that are ready to heat and eat. With locations in Chicago and Los Angeles, ESG is able to provide national distribution for pre-packaged fresh seafood.

About Santa Monica Seafood
Santa Monica Seafood ("SMS") is an 80 year old, family-owned company and the largest specialty wholesale distributor and processor of fresh and frozen seafood in the Southwestern U.S. With over 200,000 ft2 of facilities across 12 locations, SMS has become a national leader in seafood distribution with a reputation for quality, service, innovation, and integrity. The ESG joint venture is further raising SMS' national profile and reach.

About Blue Earth Group
Blue Earth Group is a privately owned investment and management company with extensive experience in the production and supply of chilled and frozen seafood products worldwide.

About MULTIVAC
MULTIVAC, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of thermoform fill-seal rollstock packaging solutions, vacuum chamber systems, traysealers, shrink tanks, and both cross-web and inline labellers for food, medical and consumer product applications, along with a wide variety of flexible packaging. From its US headquarters in Kansas City, MO, the company provides strategic consultation, technical design, sales, distribution, and service of MULTIVAC's complete line of packaging systems and film solutions.