Correspondence
Email sent to the media relations team at H-E-B.
The email said: "We’re contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s food processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between a company engaged in such practices and your supply chain – Donggang Haimeng Foodstuff. According to our research, Canadian Fish Exporters supplies pollock under its ‘Buena Ventura’ brand to H-E-B. Trade data seen by The Outlaw Ocean Project shows that Canadian Fish Exporters was the consignee for over 100 shipments of pollock from a Chinese company called Dandong Haimeng since 2019. We have uncovered evidence that Dandong Haimeng used North Korean labor after the December 2019 deadline for the repatriation of overseas North Korean workers required under United Nations Security Council sanctions. This evidence shows North Korean labor at Dandong Haimeng’s factory in Liaoning, China, as recently as 2023. Furthermore, under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), passed in 2017, the U.S. prohibits the import of any goods produced by North Korean nationals unless clear and convincing evidence is provided that indicates the materials were not made with forced labor. While we understand that you may not be aware of the above issues, does H-E-B have any comment to make in response to this email?"
H-E-B replied: "Thank you for your email. We have confirmed with our merchant team that we do not have these products and have nothing linked to the plants mentioned."
The Outlaw Ocean Project replied: "Thank you very much for your email and for verifying that H-E-B no longer stocks any products linked to the plant in question. We do have some additional questions arising from your statement: 1. We saw Buena Ventura Salted Pollock on H-E-B’s website in mid-November. Could you clarify when you ceased selling this product? And why? 2. Can you clarify how H-E-B is able to verify that it does not stock any seafood products sourced from Donggang Haimeng? 3. What processes does H-E-B have in place to conduct supply chain traceability and tracing of seafood products from its primary suppliers?"
The Outlaw Ocean Project emailed: "As we hadn't heard back from you on this, we wanted to check in on these outstanding questions. To clarify: The supply company in question is called Donggang Haimeng Foodstuff, based in Dandong City, Liaoning, China."