Grocery app brings 'GBA Certified' freshwater fish to online shoppers

A new, high-standard certification for food, developed for the thriving Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is now available to online grocery shoppers.

Dingdong (Cayman) Ltd., a leading Chinese fresh grocery e-commerce platform, announced Tuesday it has become the first to list a range of “Greater Bay Area Certified” live freshwater fish on its app in Guangdong.

The initial selection includes over 10 types of fish such as carp, tilapia, bass, and catfish. These products originate from standardized aquaculture bases that meet the stringent requirements of the “Greater Bay Area Certification” program.

A “Greater Bay Area Certified” live freshwater fish. Photos courtesy of Dingdong

The certification is a voluntary, premium-quality standard developed under the guidance of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. Under the program, certified products must simultaneously satisfy the highest market entry requirements from all three regions regarding water environment, aquaculture medication, quality testing, and production management.

Each certified item carries a unique QR code, allowing consumers to access transparent information about the product’s origin and quality verification.

A physical “Truly Assured Fish” section is set up for shoppers.

The integration of this certification into Dingdong’s online retail operations marks the standard’s expansion into the daily digital shopping habits of families in the region. Shoppers can now directly verify the certification within the Dingdong app and scan the QR code on the product to trace the fish’s journey from the farm and through quality checks to their doorstep.

According to the company, these certified fish are a core part of its “Truly Assured Fish” quality system in southern China.

“Seafood safety is not about a single step, but the shared responsibility of an entire supply chain,” said Xu Zhijian, chief merchandise officer at Dingdong. “The goal of the ‘Truly Assured Fish’ system is to make aquatic product safety manageable, verifiable, and trustworthy.”

The platform’s system is built on traceability, a “100-day zero drug residue” pledge, and a multi-step quality control process. In southern China, the system uses certifications like the “Greater Bay Area Certification” as a baseline for sourcing.

To help customers identify them, the newly certified fish have been added to a dedicated “Truly Assured Fish” section within the Dingdong app. The company has also launched a pop-up “Truly Assured Fish Shop” in Bao’an District in the city for consumers to experience the products firsthand.