SMITHFIELD, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smithfield Farmland is introducing PRIME, a premium, All Natural Fresh Pork line that raises the bar for fresh pork under both their Smithfield and Farmland brands.
The primary goal of the PRIME program is to provide retailers with a top of the line Fresh Pork product in the retail meat case that provides their consumers with a naturally tender and juicy eating experience like no other.
In fact, Smithfield Farmland PRIME is 20% more tender than other leading brands of non-enhanced natural pork. This is accomplished by sourcing the PRIME products from market hogs sired by the Smithfield Farmland proprietary Duroc line and segregating the product from the general population during processing at the state-of-the-art facilities to meet stringent quality standards. Furthermore, the PRIME line is produced under a USDA Process Verification Program that ensures no beta-agonist growth promotants are used.
More and more, consumers are demanding higher quality items and raising their expectations on products they purchase – particularly protein. According to a study conducted by the National Pork Board1, the meat case is one of the keys to attracting shoppers to specific stores. More than 75% say they choose their preferred grocery store by its meat department and 74% noting that they will buy their meat elsewhere if a better product is available.
The Smithfield Farmland PRIME program provides retailers an option to help better meet the needs of these important customers. PRIME is a top-of-the line product that consumers can feel confident buying and proud to serve their families.
“Smithfield Farmland PRIME is a product of the USA that is sourced from market hogs sired by a proprietary Duroc line that are raised without beta-agonist growth promotants and no hormones and steroids,” says Dr. Roger Johnson, Director of Pork Quality at Smithfield. “Not all pork is created equal and we’re confident that when consumers experience PRIME they’ll be able to see the exceptional color and increased marbling, and taste the tenderness and flavor difference.”
Development of the PRIME line began in 2004. Over the past 10 years, Dr. Johnson and his team have performed quarterly benchmarking at the retail level, comparing Smithfield Farmland PRIME precursors relative to other fresh pork products on the market to ensure that this product is truly a cut above the rest.
Smithfield Farmland Prime is available nationwide. For more information on Smithfield or Farmland branded PRIME products, visit www.Smithfield.com and www.FarmlandFoods.com.
About Smithfield Farmland
On April 28, 2014, two Smithfield Foods subsidiaries, The Smithfield Packing Company and Farmland Foods, merged to form Smithfield Farmland Corp. This union brought together two leading pork suppliers, both known for their high-quality retail and foodservice offerings in the United States and abroad across a variety of Fresh and Packaged categories. In addition to the Smithfield and Farmland brands, the company’s Gwaltney and Cook’s products are among the leaders in their respective markets. For more information, visit www.Smithfield.com and www.FarmlandFoods.com.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, Gwaltney®, John Morrell®, Kretschmar®, Curly's®, Carando®, Margherita®, and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.
1 Source: National Pork Board, “Translating Trends into Sales”
