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A Brief History of Chicken of the Sea®

1914: Where It All Started

Fun fact: The brand you now know as Chicken of the Sea began life as Van Camp Seafood in 1914.

1930: An Iconic Brand is Born

The first Chicken of the Sea-branded products appeared on store shelves about sixteen years after the company was founded. (In the early 1900s, tuna fishermen used to joke that white albacore was “the chicken of the sea” because of its mild flavor and light color. If you’ve ever wondered where our name comes from, now you know!)

1952: Meet the Mermaid

Chicken of the Sea’s iconic mermaid mascot debuted in 1952 and has been a beloved part of our brand ever since. She was modeled after Grace Lee Whitney, who played Yeoman Janice Rand on Star Trek: The Original Series.

1990: For the Love of Dolphins

An industry pioneer in dolphin-safe fishing practices, we initiated “The Mermaid Cares: Dolphin-Safe Policy” in 1990. This policy requires all of our seafood to be dolphin-safe.

2009: Partners in Sustainability

Chicken of the Sea is a founding member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), which has been active since 2009. ISSF partners are dedicated to protecting the oceans for future generations.

2011: Transparency in Reporting

Every year since 2011, we’ve relased an annual Sustainability Report to share our environmental and social impacts and develop roadmaps for future initiatives.

2014: Celebrating 100 Years of Good

To celebrate our 100th birthday, we donated $1 million to 100 nonprofit organizations and people who work to improve their communities.

Awards &
Leadership

#1 in the Food Products Industry on Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for 2024. Listed 11 consecutive years.

#1 on Seafood Stewardship Index for Sustainability out of the world’s top 30 seafood companies

2024 Sustainability Disclosure Award from the Thaipat Institute

Fresh Ideas from Chicken of the Sea

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