Today’s health-conscious consumers care not only about what they eat—but also about how their food is produced. To address those concerns, food and beverage manufacturers need many more details about sourcing from their food ingredient suppliers. 

One company stepping up to the plate is Diana Food, a division of Symrise that supplies ambient chicken broth, cooked chicken powder and purified chicken fat. Its culinary ingredients are used in soups and broths, sauces, marinades and gravies; processed meats; prepared meals; seasoning blends; and natural flavor bases. 

This year finds Diana Food investing in a multi-million dollar poultry processing facility and pilot plant in Banks Crossing, Ga. That facility will source chickens from a network of sustainable, traceable area farms, which also will minimize carbon footprint. Moreover, the company ensures that its poultry products could be claimed as “No Antibiotics Ever” or organic with 100% chicken ingredients and no salt, added MSG or yeast extract.

Supported by CIWF (Compassion In World Farming), Diana Food also commits that 100% of its chicken will meet higher welfare standards by 2023 for the US market.

Specifically, Diana Food will require chicken suppliers to do the following for 100% of all products:

1. Transition to strains of birds accepted for use by RSPCA or Global Animal Partnership (GAP) based on measurably improved welfare outcomes.
2. Reduce stocking density to a maximum of 6lbs /square foot and prohibit broiler cages.
3. Provide birds enriched environments including litter, lighting, and enrichment that meets GAP’s new standards.
4. Process chickens in a manner that avoids pre-stun handling and instead utilizes a multi-step controlled atmosphere processing system that induces an irreversible stun.
5. Demonstrate compliance with the above standards via third party auditing.

“Our investment in the state of Georgia gives us direct access to fresh, high-quality chicken. Humanely-raised birds are carefully selected by our breeders to reflect strong consumer demand for chicken-based solutions produced in line with animal welfare standards,” says Thomas Couepel, Diana Food customer development manager. “With the technologies of our pilot plant and our expertise on meat-based solutions, we can create exciting new taste profiles completely tailored to any customer’s specifications.” 

Couepel says the Banks Crossing plant will make its first deliveries to American customers in early 2019. 

“We believe our raw material quality—No Antibiotics Ever, Organic, Animal Welfare—is the starting point for an exceptional product that meets American consumers’ expectations,” Couepel concludes. “We ensure high quality across our entire value chain—from providing upstream expertise to final delivery. Closer, fresher, better. These are all the ingredients you need to build consumer trust.”  

Diana Food is part of Diana, a division of Symrise Group. For more information, visit www.diana-food.com or email the company at: contact@diana-food.com.  

Originally appeared in the September, 2018 issue of Prepared Foods as Trust—Traced Back to the Farm.