- The initiative of the Industrial Fishermen of Biobío has benefited since 2020 more than three thousand residents of long-stay facilities located in the Regions of Biobío, Ñuble, Maule and Araucanía.
Jack mackerel stew was the dish chosen by the food handlers of the Santa Teresa de Calcutta Nursing Home of Las Rosas Foundation to celebrate with its residents, the mayor of Talcahuano, Henry Campos, and the president of the Industrial Fishermen of Biobío, Macarena Cepeda. They all met to highlight the contribution that the monthly delivery of jack mackerel and common hake has meant for more than 3 thousand vulnerable elderly adults, who live in 77 long-stay residences, which has already exceeded one million servings.
This initiative by the Industrial Fishermen of Biobío, made up of Blumar, Camanchaca, Landes, PacificBlu, FoodCorp and Orizon, was launched in April 2020 with the objective of delivering weekly servings of canned jack mackerel and frozen hake fillets that these facilities required to add to the diet of their residents. “This social project was born in the context of the global pandemic, where elderly adults were undoubtedly the most vulnerable group due to having a weaker immune system, but they were also those who would suffer most harshly the economic and social consequences that Covid-19 was causing. Therefore, ensuring quality nutrition was fundamental at that time. Today we are proud to say that the Sea Food Bank continues to operate and we have already delivered more than one million servings,” said Macarena Cepeda.
The mayor of Talcahuano, Henry Campos, thanked the work of more than 6,500 employees of industrial fishing, who “bring to the table of our homes these seafood products, whose consumption has increased notably and speaks to the benefits it has for health, especially in elderly people who require better nutrition. The work that our industrial fishermen have developed in capturing, processing and preparing these foods also becomes an important social aid.”
Why include jack mackerel in your diet?
Jack mackerel is considered a superfood due to its nutritional properties, which make it a high-value protein, in addition to its important contribution of essential acids for people’s health
“These are the actions that have so much value and that generate such a positive change in our residents because, concretely, in addition to eating delicious meals two to three times a week, their health indicators improve,” said Faridi Juri, regional head of Biobío at Las Rosas Foundation. She added that “the Sea Food Bank came to our door and that is wonderful, so we are grateful to be part of those benefiting from this project.”
About Industrial Fishermen of Biobío
Industrial fishing is a fundamental productive sector in the territories where it has operated for more than 100 years, an engine of development for thousands of families and an activity that has projected itself over time, providing 36 thousand direct jobs, of which 6,500 thousand are concentrated in the Biobío Region.
The seafood products of the Industrial Fishermen of Biobío, canned and frozen jack mackerel, breaded and frozen common hake, are available throughout Chile, in supermarkets, mini markets and neighborhood stores, as well as their own sales outlets. Therefore, the work of men and women in industrial fishing feeds Chileans daily with healthy and nutritious products that, in the case of jack mackerel, is part of the basic food basket.
Likewise, the sector has implemented, for the past 10 years, profound changes in environmental management, productivity (migration towards a food industry) and a renewed set of corporate behaviors in general, based on highly sustainable and responsible behaviors regarding the natural resources on which it operates, which are mostly internationally certified by the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council).
