Vegan Tuna Called a “Slap in the Face” for the Seafood Industry

TUNO, vegan canned tuna recently launched by Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF) at US retailers nationwide, was called a “slap in the face” by the seafood industry.

TUNO is made from non-GMO soy, seaweed, yeast, and other natural ingredients and is available in three flavors: Spring Water, Sriracha, and Lemon Pepper.

Although many vegans and vegan-curious are thankful for the accessible vegan option, the seafood industry seems to be unhappy with it, with some calling it a slap in the face for the industry.

“I don’t know what the ACCC [Australian Consumer and Competition Commission] would think about this,” Jane Lovell, Chief Executive at Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), told ABC.

Lovell added that she does not “quite understand” why vegans try to eat plant-based food that look and taste like meat and other animal-derived food.

“If people want to be vegans that’s up to them,” she added. “I don’t think we have high moral ground on that point, but I think this is verging on false and misleading.”

“Whether there is an intent to mislead or not, is irrelevant, if the overall branding creates a misleading impression then the behavior is likely to breach the law.”

“So, if they’re trying to make it look like tuna I think they’re probably on a reasonably slippery slope.”

J. Douglas Hines, ANF founder and chairman, explained that TUNO was developed to help deal with the negative environmental effects of fishing.

“Overfishing is a global problem that’s getting worse by the day. With the Atlantic and Indian Oceans under siege, and the Pacific under review, our latest innovation, TUNO, is addressing the long-term need for alternate protein sources,” Hines said in a statement.

“Yet the unsustainability of tuna is only part of the issue — other oceanic pollutants like microplastics are also a real concern; TUNO gives people a delicious, shelf-stable and earth-conscious solution.”

TUNO products are now available in the US at Walmart, Shaw’s, Sprouts, Food Lion, Ingles, Jewel, Meijer, and online on Amazon. They will be launched in Australia and the UK soon.