German retailer Kaufland is celebrating five years of own quality meat programme, launched in October 2016.
Since then, the company along with its contract farmers, has been committed to better animal welfare and has successfully developed its programme.
Kaufland Quality Meat Programme
Over 60 family farms are involved in the programme, helping create the basis for a more sustainable improvement in animal welfare in livestock husbandry.
Farmers supply Kaufland with pork that is kept under level 3 outdoor climate.
By participating in the quality meat programme, Kaufland enables farmers to have secure sales markets and long-term qualitative growth.
Robert Pudelko, head of sustainability purchasing at Kaufland, said, "We stand for a fair and long-term partnership with our contract farmers: With the quality meat programme, we create prospects for the farmers and support them in keeping animals in a more appropriate way.
"Our customers are happy to accept the range of high-quality pork from animal welfare, so we will continue to develop this successful concept in the future."
The products are offered as fresh meat at the service counters, as well as self-service meat and sausage products.
Consumers can recognise these products by the labeling of the level 3 farming methods or by their own brand K-Wertätze.
Animal Welfare
The pigs have at least 40% more space than required by law, access to fresh air through outdoor air-conditioned stalls or a run, and are fed GMO-free diets.
In addition, straw is always available to them as an activity material.
The company rewards the extra work that farmers have to do with the conversion of animal husbandry.
Farmers receive a minimum price of €1.40 per kilogram as well as a corresponding additional remuneration per pig in the form of an animal welfare bonus and a feed bonus for GMO-free feed.
Promoting animal welfare is important for Kaufland, which is why the company has taken a variety of measures to improve livestock husbandry and ensure more responsible production of products of animal origin.
In May, for example, Kaufland was the first grocer nationwide to list self-service sausage products according to level 3 husbandry under its own brand K-Classic.
Since this year, the company has also been offering around 25 milk, yoghurt, cheese, sausage, and meat products that are certified in accordance with recognised animal welfare standards and programmes under its own animal welfare brand, K-Wertätze.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Conor Farrelly. For more Supply Chain news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
