Slavery-tainted Thai seafood exporter invests $575M in Red Lobster
STAR-ADVERTISER / MAY 2014
The exterior of a Red Lobster restaurant located at Hobron Lane and Ala Moana Blvd. Red Lobster is getting a $575 million investment from a Thai seafood exporter of shrimp that The Associated Press found last year came from supply chains tainted by slavery.
ORLANDO, Fla. » Red Lobster is getting a $575 million investment from a Thai seafood exporter of shrimp that The Associated Press found last year came from supply chains tainted by slavery.
A joint statement by the companies Monday says Thai Union Group wants to build a direct-to-consumers channel by investing in Orlando-based Red Lobster, which has more than 700 locations in the United States and Canada. Golden Gate Capital, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, remains Red Lobster’s majority owner.
Thai Union’s president promised changes after the AP found the seafood company was shipping shrimp that may have included shrimp peeled by enslaved migrant workers. Among those receiving shrimp from Thai Union were Red Lobster and other buyers.
The AP reported last year that Red Lobster said it had been assured by Thai Union that their shipments were clean. Thai Union, meanwhile, said the shrimp it purchased from the peeling sheds using slave labor that the AP tracked did not go to major U.S. companies, while declining to say where it went.
In any case, according to U.S. and United Nations standards, if even a single piece of shrimp coming from a company is tied to forced labor, it taints the entire supply chain.
Thai Union vowed to spend millions of dollars to end its reliance on contractors responsible for much of the labor abuse, and process all its shrimp in-house. Since then, the company has opened a large, clean, peeling warehouse in Thailand where 1,200 workers get subsidized meals and opportunities for bonuses.
17 responses to “Slavery-tainted Thai seafood exporter invests $575M in Red Lobster”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
“Hepatitis A”…I got my shot and waiting for my next one in 6 months
I had my vaccine too and now I don’t have to wash my hands.
GASP! What about your….your….never mind.
Boycott time….
Now you can taste customers’ food and stick your hands into the food as you hold the plates.
Why are they allowed to do business or own a business in the US?
That’s the American way. If you have money you can do whatever you want.
We’re the sucker nation where we give everyone rights.
Why not?
Like the Philippines scallops the shrimp possibly are not sanitary? Several years ago dined at that Red Lobster on the corner of Ala Moana and Hobron. Prices are steep for what you get! Have also eaten at the same chain restaurant in Orange County and prices were more decent. Tourist trap!
Will you die or get sick from slavery- tainted lobster or seafood?
Depends on how disgruntled that slave is.
Important part of slavery is “involuntary.” Harsh conditions and little pay are relative. Aliens might consider all of us slaves.
I consider us all to be slaves.
At participating Red Lobster restaurants.
Is Red Lobster going to import slaves to work in the kitchen and as service people? Actually, we are all slaves these days.
BUT the food is the same.