Thai Union Group’s Migrant Health Volunteer Program is progressing. The initiative was launched in September 2024 to strengthen inclusive healthcare for migrant workers in Samut Sakhon, Thailand. The province is a major center for the company’s tuna canning operations. Through this program, migrant workers are trained as health volunteers, enabling them to support their communities and liaise with healthcare providers. Outpatient data from Samut Sakhon show that the most common health issues among this group of employees are work-related muscle disorders, hypertension, and diabetes. It underscores the need to raise awareness of lifestyle-related health risks, including excessive energy drink consumption, high-sodium diets, and smoking.

Since its launch, the program has trained 109 migrant workers, equipping them with practical health skills in preventive care, healthcare rights, and non communicable diseases education. After completing their training, they participated in assisting in the Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital and community health activities. Twenty-three serve as interpreters, working alongside Thai health officials to facilitate communication with migrant patients.

Europe’s oldest tuna factory is located in Favignana, in the south of Italy, and currently serves as a museum about the first industrial canning of tuna. It also depicts the history of Sicily’s bluefin fishing and its fishermen. The Florio family built the facility in 1859 and the iconic nineteenth-century complex is now an industrial architectural heritage. Founder Vincenzo Florio invented the process of preserving bluefin by a steam cooking process and canning the fish in oil. This revolutionized the tuna canning industry and made his business a success.

The plant closed in 1977, but the areas where processing and landings of the fish took place remained intact. The shelters for the boats, the terrace where the nets were hung to dry, the cooking facility with the large red brick fireplaces, and the atrium with the original counters where the fish was canned are still there. The museum also shows the history of the Mattanza, the Sicilian bluefin fishing method and tradition, which has largely disappeared. The method is similar to the Spanish Almadraba.

Earlier this month, Amazon announced that it has launched a new private label, Amazon Grocery, which will include tuna and other seafood items, for sale in the US. The label replaces the company’s Amazon Fresh and Happy Belly lines. Details about the number of tuna items that would be sold under the private label are yet to be revealed by the retailer. However, Atuna found out that Yellowfin Skinless Steaks, with the MSC logo, are amongst the items for sale. The net weight of the product is 12 oz (340 g). This product is treated with carbon monoxide (for color retention), which is allowed in the US market but not the EU. The item was previously sold under Amazon Fresh.

Apart from seafood, Amazon Grocery features more than 1,000 food items, including dairy, meat, and other fresh produce, most of them priced under USD 5. Amazon’s private label is gaining momentum, with customers having purchased 15 percent more of such products in 2024 compared to the previous year across Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market, and Amazon Fresh, the company said in a statement. “With Amazon Grocery, we are simplifying how customers discover and shop our extensive private label food selection while maintaining the quality and value our customers expect and deserve,” said a company spokesperson.

South Korean company Dongwon F&B will introduce its canned tuna products to the US market next month through online retail platform Amazon, thanks to American rapper Cardi B. She recently went live on Instagram, trying one of Dongwon’s spicy tuna with rice and mayo, and called it “a perfect combination and delicious meal,” according to Korean news sites. She bought the tuna can from H Mart — an American chain of Korean supermarkets. Her Instagram video became a hit and sparked the interest for the product among Americans who were curious to find where they can buy Dongwon’s spicy tuna in a can. The rapper is an ardent fan of Korean food and, in the past, has promoted noodles, tteokbokki (rice cakes), and other food items from the Asian country.

Dongwon F&B will begin to sell only Dongwon Hot Pepper on Amazon, and will gradually expand the range of its products to tuna in vegetables and other Dongwon flavored tuna, depending on sales trends in the US. Dongwon F&B is owned by Dongwon Industries, which is also the owner of Starkist, one of the US’s top tuna brands. Dongwon Industries earlier announced that it aims to expand its tuna products globally, including in the US and the Middle East, this year.

John West UK has appointed Neal Woods as its new Commercial Director. Previously, he was the General Manager (GM) of John West Ireland. Woods has over two decades of experience in the food industry. He has worked with food manufacturer United Biscuits, baking company Warburtons, health firm Reckitt Benckiser, and Princes Limited. He moved to Thai Union in January 2013 as John West’s Marketing Controller for the UK and Ireland, until 2015. Over the years, he donned multiple roles in the company, with the latest one being GM of John West Ireland, from July 2022 to September 2025. He was also the interim GM of John West Netherlands, but the work period was not revealed.

He announced his new position in a LinkedIn post and also thanked the Irish and Dutch teams for their outstanding teamwork, talent, and passion to succeed that resulted in strong growth of the two business units. “After almost nine years of Thai Union opportunities outside of the UK, it feels great to be coming home. I’m looking forward to playing my part in delivering the inspiring growth plans that we have and working with the UK team. Let’s go.”

Lately, the US has been meddling with Venezuelan fishers’ operations, claiming they are pushing back on the illegal drug trade from the South American nation, which in turn has jeopardized fishers’ livelihoods. However, they are determined to fight the odds put forth by the US and want to continue their operations, especially in the Carribbean Sea. A spokesperson for the Fishermen’s Councils said: “They [the US] have already bombed some boats, but without any kind of protocol for action. They are murderers, and we have to protect ourselves, our safety, our boats, and the peace and stability of the Republic.” Some of the sailors have joined hands to create a group called the “fishing militia” with members from different regions (across Venezuela) to ensure the security of their colleagues while they are at sea but it is unclear how they will do so.

According to Spanish news sites, since August, at least 32 Venezuelans have been killed by the US, claiming they were transporting drugs. The US navy has built up a large force in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off the coast of Venezuela, including the deployment of warships. Tensions between the US and Venezuela peaked last month after a group of US warship personnel boarded a Venezuelan tuna boat that was operating in the South American nation’s EEZ. Post incident, the Venezuelan government made a strong rule stating that all fishing vessels must deploy onboard cameras.

Aldi UK recently reported that there has been an increasing demand for premium seafood among British shoppers, including fresh yellowfin, as they are looking for alternatives for traditional seafood such as cod and salmon. According to the UK retailer, the sales of fresh tuna has shot up by almost 15 percent. The latest Kantar data showed that Aldi’s volume share of fresh fish sales hit 12.9 percent this year, 11 percent more YoY (months were not specified). This makes it the third largest retailer in terms of volume in this segment, across major UK supermarkets, reported business news sites. Kantar, a leading global data analytics and brand consulting company provides retail market information.

An Aldi spokesperson said that shoppers are becoming more adventurous when it comes to fish and seafood. “We are working closely with our suppliers to make sure we are offering new flavors and premium options for shoppers to try, all at affordable prices.”

Brazilian brand Gomes da Costa is back with the campaign promoting its tuna and pasta combo. On October 11, a 30-seconds animated video, with a humorous touch, was posted on YouTube starring the brand’s tuna can that gets cheered on and looked at adoringly by the pasta, waiting to be cooked. The video captioned “Try it and discover why Gomes da Costa tuna is such a hit with pasta dishes,” has attracted over 5 million views already. The company launched a campaign last year that also promoted pasta with tuna. It proved to be a success with over 21 million views on YouTube.

A spokesperson for Nauterra, that owns Gomes da Costa said: “Since 2022, we have been betting on the success of this pasta combination. By combining our tuna with an equally practical and tasty ingredient, we want to gain more space and frequency in consumers’ shopping baskets.” The campaign will be shown on TV, digital platforms, and social media, and the company has roped in content creators to promote it.

You can view more tuna commercials from Gomes da Costa and other brands here.