Bangkok, Thailand-based seafood producer Thai Union Group is aiming for 50 percent of the tuna-fishing vessels it works with to have Wi-Fi capabilities onboard by the end of 2026 and increase that total to 75 percent in the next two years.
Chief Sustainability Officer Adam Brennan said the push to secure satellite internet capabilities is important for fishermen well-being and traceability efforts in knowing where vessels are, how conditions are onboard, and if there are red flags to be aware of before products go to shelves.
“It’s a very ambitious commitment, and providing connectivity in remote corners of the world is not easy,” Brennan told SeafoodSource at the 2026 Seafood Expo North America (SENA) show in Boston, Massachusetts on 16 March. “But, we believe it is a key part of providing fisher welfare. Connectivity is welfare.”
Brennan has worked at Thai Union for just over four years and works closely with Thai Union’s sustainability strategy, SeaChange, which is now in its 10th year. Securing internet connectivity for half of vessels has proven challenging in areas lacking satellite coverage, but Brennan said working with different coverage providers to develop systems that remain online is a top priority.
The company also announced a partnership with Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.-based supply chain traceability and transparency company Wholechain for a global rollout of standardized, end-to-end traceability systems for its seafood operations in a release from the company before SENA.
“Traceability has long been central to how we operate, supported by robust systems that meet the highest industry expectations,” Brennan said in the release. “This partnership marks a step change moving from manual processes to a fully digital, interoperable model that delivers real-time insight at global scale. It raises the bar not just for Thai Union but for the seafood industry as a whole.”
Brennan said Thai Union Group utilizes guidelines from nonprofit foundation Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) for messaging about traceability, so that partners and vessels worldwide can understand best practices. This is coupled with Wholechain’s ability to improve supply chain efficiency, digitize and document products from specific vessels, improve transparency for consumers, and proactively respond to changing regulatory and market requirements.
“Thai Union has consistently demonstrated leadership in seafood sustainability for the last 10 years,” Wholechain CEO Jayson Berryhill said in the release. “Through this partnership, Thai Union is leading the industry in traceability and transparency by embedding it into the operating fabric of their global business. Using interoperable standards across its global footprint, Thai Union will not only improve its own operations, but it will accelerate progress across the seafood industry.”
Thai Union works with large worldwide brands such as Chicken of the Sea, Genova, John West, Petit Navire, Mareblu, Parmentier, and King Oscar. Brennan said if there are issues with a vessel or product on shelves, Wholechain’s software can identify a single unit of product and trace it back to the origin for remediation.
“When I joined Thai Union, we were very much regarded as being frontrunners within the industry in sustainability,” Brennan said. “I think for me, only because we are leaders today doesn’t make us leaders tomorrow.”
Other sustainability efforts include vessel codes of conduct, auditing programs for identifying and detecting issues to be flagged, and vessel improvement plans (VIP). Targeting tuna vessels first was strategic, given those make up 75 percent of Thai Union’s seafood product purchases.
“It’s a difficult time for the industry; it’s a difficult time for sustainability; and I think we should be honest about that,” Brennan said. “There are a lot of headwinds right now. I think what I’m most truly proud of is that Thai Union has stayed its course; we are not deviating. We’re being a little bit smarter with the investments that we’re making into sustainability, and we’re doubling down in certain areas like people.”