SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Niman Ranch unveiled Certified Humane® prosciutto at the Commissary in the Presidio to more than 100 top Bay Area chefs, media and thought leaders. The prosciutto, produced from Niman Ranch’s network of independent family farmers raising sustainable heritage breed natural pork, was sliced for tasting and plated for menu inspiration. The event was presented by Niman Ranch and co-hosted by Bon Appétit Management Co., Del Monte Meat Co., Inc. and Edible Communities. Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyard poured their 2014 Gloria Ferrer Estate Pinot Noir and the Sonoma Brut to accompany the prosciutto tasting.
The national launch includes a social media campaign to #FollowTheNimanLeg and #NimanOnTheRun for the first 20 legs. James Beard award-winning and nominated chefs have quietly received a preview of the first three legs from the initial batch of production for advanced sampling and feedback.
“After tasting the Niman Ranch prosciutto and having visited several Niman hog farms, I'm thrilled to be able to offer our chefs a high quality, domestically-produced prosciutto,” said Maisie Ganzler, vice president of strategy for Bon Appétit Management Co., Del Monte Meat Co. “The Niman prosciutto meets our high animal welfare standards, commitment to pork raised without antibiotics, and desire to support small family farms."
“We developed this line to honor the time and care our farmers put into raising the animals,” said Jeff Tripician, Niman Ranch general manager. “The age-old process of dry curing high quality product intensifies the flavor of our heritage breed pork and results in exceptional flavor.”
Niman Ranch pork is raised humanely and sustainably, resulting in highly marbled legs that are coated in Sicilian Sea Salt to cure in the traditional old world Italian style. The legs are aged for over a year to remove the water and intensify the flavor and color. Pork, salt and time are the simple ingredients in all prosciutto. “With so few ingredients, the pork you start with matters – a lot!” said Tripician.
Niman Ranch prosciutto, joins a 23-item line of Genoa Salame, Capocollo, Hot Sopressata, Pepperoni and Pancetta. The new products are available in multiple retail and food service packages, three snack pack varieties and a lunch kit named “Gourmet Provisions.” Prosciutto is available to chefs immediately and will be in stores and online nationwide through family run distributors.
Niman Ranch pork is sustainable and third-party certified under the Certified Humane® program and raised by a community of small, independent U.S. family hog farmers who adhere to some of the strictest animal welfare protocols in the industry, including:
- No antibiotics - EVER
- No gestation or farrowing crates
- Raised outside or deeply bedded pens
- Never fed animal by-products
Paul Willis, Niman Ranch’s founding hog farmer, was the first farmer selling product to top chefs, including Alice Waters at Chez Panisse. He said, “I had no idea there would someday be 728 more farmers, hundreds of great chefs and something called Prosciutto. To this day our hogs are raised by small, independent U.S. family farmers committed to sustainable and humane practices. I’m truly proud to see where we have come as a company – revitalizing rural America, supporting our farmers and consistently offering the best quality product.”
Editor Note: High-resolution product photos are available upon request.
With more than 40 years as an industry leader, Niman Ranch is a community of more than 720 independent family farmers and ranchers who raise livestock traditionally, humanely and sustainably to deliver the finest-tasting meat. All Niman Ranch pork, beef, lamb and prepared products are certified under the Certified Humane® program and available nationwide at both food service and retail locations.
Independently tested August 2017 by a third-party research firm; study compared new Niman Ranch prosciutto with top two domestic natural brands as identified by SPINS. Consumers preferred Niman Ranch 62% of the time during the test.