Thursday, July 21, 2016

Campbell Soup wants antibiotic-free chicken



Campbell Soup Co. says it will be transitioning to buying chickens that have been raised without using antibiotics.

It has also said it will eliminate artificial colours and flavours from its products.

It says the changes are to make its products “real food”.

It also says the company’s aim is “to set the standard for transparency in the food industry . . . to engender trust with consumers” and to diversify its product line to include "fresh, organic and healthful foods."

Campbell’s president and chief executive officer Denise Morrison said “we believe real food should be made with recognizable, desirable ingredients from plants or animals.

“It should be responsibly crafted using ethical sourcing and sustainable practices that safeguard natural resources.

“Lastly, it should always be delicious, safe and available at a fair price — all three without compromise.”

It reminds me of Loblaws and its foolish name - "Green Chicken"- that sourced antibiotic-free chickens raised on a farm owned by Maple Leaf Foods. That farm happened to be where I grew up, west of New Dundee.

Maple Leaf used vaccines and tight biosecurity to achieve the antibiotic-free standard.