Correspondence
Email sent to the contact address for TFI Foods Ltd.
The email said: "I’m contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s seafood processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between a company engaged in such practices and a supplier in your supply chain - Rongcheng Puchen.
We have evidence of squid catch from a Zhoushan Ningtai Ocean Fisheries vessel that engaged in unregulated fishing activity - the Ning Tai 58 - at Rongcheng Puchen’s processing plant. Another 14 vessels owned by Zhoushan Ningtai are linked to a range of environmental and human rights issues including forced labor, AIS spoofing, shark finning, and unauthorized transhipment. Unauthorized transhipment can undermine supply chain traceability by obfuscating the movement of catch from vessel to processor.
Does TFI Foods Ltd. have any comment to make in response to the above information? Please respond to this email by close of business July 18, 2023."
The Outlaw Ocean Project emailed TFI Foods: "We emailed you on July 13, 2023, regarding our latest investigation which concerns abuses in China’s seafood processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between companies engaged in such practices and a supplier in your supply chain - Rongcheng Puchen.
We have evidence of squid catch from a Zhoushan Ningtai Ocean Fisheries vessel that engaged in unregulated fishing activity - the Ning Tai 58 - at Rongcheng Puchen’s processing plant in 2022. Another 14 vessels owned by Zhoushan Ningtai are linked to a range of environmental and human rights issues including forced labor, AIS spoofing, shark finning, and unauthorized transhipment. Unauthorized transhipment can undermine supply chain traceability by obfuscating the movement of catch from vessel to processor.
Trade data viewed by The Outlaw Ocean Project shows that TFI Foods was the consignee for several shipments of seafood products from Rongcheng Puchen since 2018.
While we recognize that you may not be aware of the above problems, we wish to ask you if TFI Foods has any comment to make in response to the above information? Please let us know by close of business on September 27, 2023, noting that interactions remain on record."