Latest news with #SeaDConsulting
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Carolina shrimpers sue 25 restaurants for ‘shrimp fraud,' saying deception is threatening their industry
On June 13, the South Carolina Shrimpers Association filed a federal lawsuit in the District of South Carolina against 25 Charleston-area restaurants. The shrimpers accused the eateries of violating the Lanham Act and the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act by marketing imported, frozen shrimp as 'wild‑caught' and 'local,' according to ABC News 4. Don't miss Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Shrimp fraud misleads customers The amended complaint alleged that this 'shrimp fraud' misleads consumers and damages the reputation and goodwill of legitimate Lowcountry shrimpers. 'We believe that when we invite our family, our friends, and our cherished guests to our beautiful Lowcountry, they deserve nothing less than the real, authentic thing — and in this case, that means our delectable and incomparable, wild-caught South Carolina shrimp,' said South Carolina Shrimpers Association vice president Bryan Jones. According to an investigation by SeaD Consulting, the genetic analysis of shrimp from 44 local eateries revealed that 90% of restaurants deceived customers. The suit found 25 establishments to be 'outright fraudulent' for deceiving diners by selling imported shrimp which they claimed were locally caught. Similar SeaD studies along the Gulf Coast revealed 'shrimp fraud rates' as high as 96% in Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg, Florida. Only two out of 44 tested restaurants served truly local shrimp. The Shrimpers Association claims these deceptions threaten the integrity of South Carolina's seafood branding and undermine consumer trust. After all, many customers are expecting authentic and local food as advertised. Read more: Americans are 'revenge saving' to survive — but millions only get a measly 1% on their savings. Economic and tourism impact The authenticity of seafood is not a niche concern in South Carolina. In 2022, visitors spent $27.9 billion across the state, generated $2.6 billion in tax revenue and supported over 257,000 jobs. The Lowcountry's coastal dining scene is a significant attraction among tourists. According to Columbia SC Tourism, food and beverages accounted for 29% of each tourist's budget, which amounts to $487 million. If customers are misled by establishments, rebuilding consumer trust may require stricter labelling laws. Louisiana has implemented an updated seafood labeling law due to misleading food labels in restaurants. Responses and next steps Several restaurants have publicly denied wrongdoing and misleading customers. Mount Pleasant Seafood says it has 'receipts to back up' its local purchases and switches to frozen local South Carolina shrimp when fresh is unavailable. Crave Hospitality Group stressed its commitment to sourcing and transparency. Page's Okra Grill protested being 'floored' by inclusion and noted it 'does not claim on any of our menus that our shrimp is all local or East Coast.' 'Our aim has always been to protect South Carolina's shrimping industry and to uphold the principle that consumers deserve honesty in advertising. We hope to hear from any defendant who is prepared to work with us to ensure transparency and fairness moving forward,' said associate representative attorney Gedney Howe IV to WRDW. As the case heads to court, both sides will present evidence on sourcing records, menu marketing and consumer perception. Beyond financial damages, the litigation underscores a broader call to preserving the Lowcountry's culinary legacy, a billion-dollar tourism engine that demands 'local' shrimp must come from South Carolina waters. What to read next Robert Kiyosaki warns of 'massive unemployment' in the US due to the 'biggest change' in history — and says this 1 group of 'smart' Americans will get hit extra hard. Are you one of them? How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal Lawsuit Accuses 25 Restaurants of Fraud
Restaurants in the Charleston, South Carolina area are facing the heat over alleged fraud. In an amended federal lawsuit filed by the South Carolina Shrimpers Association that specifically names 25 businesses, they are accused of fraud after allegedly misleading their customers over the source of their shrimp, according to Patrick Phillips and Melissa Rademaker of WIS 10. The lawsuit says the businesses were "found to be outright fraudulent" after claiming their shrimp was from local sources when it was instead coming from foreign ones. The amended lawsuit comes on the heels of an initial suit filed on June 13 that accused 40 Charleston-area restaurants of false advertising with their shrimp based on the findings of genetic testing done by SeaD Consulting in May, according to Anna Sharpe of The Post Courier. The other 15 restaurants have not been named in the lawsuit yet, and it isn't clear when that will happen. The restaurants are accused of violating the federal Lanham Act and the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act. The SCSA says local shrimpers cannot compete against cheaper imported products, and the alleged practice is unfair to both restaurants that do use locally-sourced shrimp, and customers who believe they are getting a certain product instead of "an inferior, mislabeled product." 'We are under attack on many fronts,' SCSA vice president Bryan Jones said. 'The high propensity of fraud in the Charleston market is of grave concern because it not only impacts our bottom line, but it chips away at the goodwill and reputation that our entire South Carolina shrimping fleet has built over decades.' At least five of the 25 businesses named in the amended lawsuit, including Mount Pleasant Seafood, Tavern & Table, Poseidon's Playground, Crave Hospitality Group and Page's Okra Grill, have denied the allegations. Federal Lawsuit Accuses 25 Restaurants of Fraud first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 3, 2025
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southern Shrimp Alliance study reveals a majority of Charleston-area restaurants serve imported shrimp
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WBCD) – The Southern Shrimp Alliance revealed, in a new study with SeaD Consulting, a majority of Charleston-area restaurants that claim to serve local shrimp are not actually doing so. SeaD Consulting randomly selected 44 restaurants throughout the region, in an attempt to bring transparency and awareness to the Lowcountry. Each of the restaurants selected advertise selling local shrimp. Charleston was the last and eighth stop for this study. The four identified restaurants that do serve domestically caught shrimp include Coosaw Creek Crab Shack, Grace & Grit, Rappahannock Oyster Bar, and Acme Lowcountry Kitchen. '70% of all the seafood eaten in the U.S. is done so at the restaurant level. Any deception done at this level is a detriment to not only our fishing community but also consumers coming down to the coast and wanting to enjoy fresh, local seafood,' Erin Williams, COO and co-founder of SeaD Consulting, said. 'Not only that, your restaurants are honestly sourcing to consumers who are paying that premium to get that quality seafood when competitors in their marketplace are not doing that.' The consulting firm discreetly tested these restaurants by order a shrimp dish, and bring some of it back to their lab. The researchers take a piece of tissue and run it through the RIGHTTest (Rapid ID Genetic High-Accuracy Test) which takes approximately two hours. The results show the species type. The other 40 restaurants are accused of shipping their supply in, which can be cheaper than harvesting local shrimp. However, officials said this deception is harmful to consumers and the local community. 'It's really important to be upfront with your customers especially – it's not cheap to eat out. You have your locals who come to your restaurant and you have all the tourists coming here, and they're assuming that what they're eating is a locally caught product. Not something that's caught thousands of miles away that's farm-raised, it's awful,' Bobby Simons, owner of Acme, said. Simons works with local shrimpers in McClellanville and tells News 2 he maintains a long-term working relationship with them. Similarly, Rocky Magwood, president of the South Carolina Shrimpers Association, works with several other local restaurants. He said though the association did not request this study, Magwood hopes this now encourages more places to buy local. 'It's crazy to how this turned out to people are getting mad because they say 'oh they tested my restaurant', well if you're mad it's because you're not doing the right thing. Just understand, we're here to help you,' Magwood said. 'We're not even mad at the restaurants that wasn't selling fresh shrimp. Just call us and talk to us. We'll see what we can do to match your price and get to where we can get your business. We're just working people, we want to all work together.' The shrimpers association has a list of local restaurants that do sell local shrimp. Magwood said the consumer should also ask the restaurant if they do serve authentic shrimp. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are you paying for authentic Gulf shrimp at restaurants?
LAFAYETTE, La. () — When it comes to buying seafood, most of us want to know exactly what we are paying for and where it comes from, especially if it comes at a higher price. The company recently found a correlation showing some restaurants may be providing imported shrimp, but advertising and selling it as authentic gulf shrimp. 'If you sell gulf shrimp, you get an average of $14 per plate. If you sell imported shrimp and claim, its Gulf shrimp, you get a similar average of about $14 a plate. If you sell shrimp and label, it properly as imported shrimp, you only get on average $10 a plate,' said founder of SeaD Consulting David Williams. An average of $4 more per plate makes a difference for restaurants. The issue SeaD Consulting has is that mislabeling is a profit-making tactic and is dishonest to the consumer. The shrimping and overall seafood industry has been in a decline because of its battle with cheaper imported products. This tactic prevents the domestic industry from flourishing once again. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'It's just not right. It's not right that that people are paying and thinking they're getting something good and they're not,' said Cheri Blanchard with the . A recent law mandates restaurants to label the origin of their seafood on menus. Williams says the restaurants that they find in violation have been reported to the necessary agencies. 'Department of Health is supposedly the ones who are in charge of this particular situation, and we would love for them to start enforcing it, using our information and testing procedures,' said Williams. You can report seafood fraud at a restaurant . Proposed state house bill could create independent airport district in Iberia Parish Pennsylvania woman was using Snapchat during hit and run that killed teen: Police Zydeco Unplugged introduces Alex Genealogy to Zydeco Extravaganza experience Police search for man who they say is now wanted in Louisiana and Texas FDA warns of 'rare but severe itching' after using popular allergy medications Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
19 Baldwin County restaurants claiming imported shrimp is locally sourced: report
GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — An investigation into the Baldwin County restaurant scene and shrimp served has been finalized, leading to the finding of 19 restaurants making false claims, has learned. Baldwin County home listings rise 10%, sales prices up 7% According to a SeaD Consulting news release, the Southern Shrimp Alliance commissioned the group to genetically analyze shrimp dishes at 44 restaurants in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley areas. This investigation into the restaurants began after genetic testing of shrimp at the 2024 National Shrimp Festival, which found that four out of five vendors , according to the release. The consulting group found that 25 of the 44 restaurants serve 'authentic Gulf wild-caught shrimp,' while 19 serve imported shrimp, claiming their shrimp was locally sourced. The group said they also found that the seven 'boil houses' were serving authentic, local shrimp. 'It's disheartening to see both festival vendors and local restaurants misleading consumers,' said the President of the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama, Ernie Anderson. 'Our shrimpers work tirelessly to provide high-quality, sustainable seafood. 'When establishments misrepresent their offerings, it undermines our industry and deceives the public.' Specially trained nurses now caring for sexual assault victims in Baldwin County The study found these restaurants to be serving locally sourced shrimp: Acme Oyster House Baumhower's Victory Grille Beach House Kitchen & Cocktails Blalock Seafood & Specialty Market Bubba's Seafood House Cotton's Restaurant Coastal Orange Beach De Soto's Seafood Kitchen Doc's Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar Duck's Diner Fish River Grill Flying Harpoon Foley Fish Company Fresh Seafood Market Gelato Joe's Italian Restaurant & Bar Gulf Bowl & Captain's Choice Gulf Shores Seafood King Neptune's Seafood Restaurant Lartigue's Fresh & Steamed Seafood Local and Company Food+Drink LuLu's Gulf Shores Moe's Original BBQ Picnic Beach Bar & Grill Rouses Market S&S Seafood Market Foley native Julio Jones retires from NFL News 5 is sharing SeaD's results after the group studied numbered, not named, samples, to prevent bias, according to a spokesperson. Unmentioned restaurants may be serving locally sourced shrimp, but may not have been included in this study. SeaD provided an overview of the findings, but not the full test results, upon request. According to the release, the 19 restaurants that misrepresent their shrimp will be urged to align their practices with Alabama labeling laws. There will also be follow-up testing. 'We only publicize the names of the restaurants who are supporting the local shrimping industry first, and will send letters to those restaurants found to be misrepresenting so they can address the issue and ensure it's not a supplier problem,' a SeaD Consulting spokesperson said in a statement to News 5. 'The names are also given to local authorities for review and enforcement.' Alabama enacted the Seafood Labeling Law in May 2024, which mandates that 'restaurants and retailers disclose the country of origin and whether seafood is wild-caught or farm-raised.' The release said penalties for violating the law include warnings and fines up to $1,000, but the Alabama Department of Public Health had been inconsistent in enforcing the law. 'Until more enforcement is in place, Gulf Shores area residents and visitors are urged to stay vigilant and ask for the country of origin of shrimp when served at restaurants, and if in doubt, demand proof of local sourcing by asking to see the box the shrimp came in,' read the release. Baldwin County Strawberry Festival warns of online vendor scams For this year's National Seafood festival, vendors must sell local wild-caught shrimp, and fines will be issued for vendors who do not comply, but it is unclear how this will be enforced. 'The U.S. shrimp industry is facing a crisis. Many of our competitors farm-raise their shrimp using forced labor, banned antibiotics, and have received billions in international development funding,' said John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. 'American fishermen harvest premium-quality shrimp that grow naturally in abundant quantities right here in our local waters. Consumers want it. They prefer it. But, they cannot find it easily due to false advertising,' he said. Neil Costes contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
