Countdown has announced that all its fresh pork sold nationwide will now be 100% free farmed and sourced from Canterbury.
“This is another example of Countdown listening to its customers wanting to buy products from farms which meet high animal welfare standards,” states Countdown’s press release.
Countdown has partnered with Patoa Farms, owned by farmer Steve Sterne and based in Hawarden, North Canterbury. Patoa has been free farming pork since 1998 and is independently certified by the SPCA. The announcement is another boost for the Canterbury region, and comes on the back of Countdown’s recent commitment to use 100% New Zealand wheat in its in-store baked bread and rolls.
Alton Gullery, Countdown’s Head of Meat, says the move to 100% free farmed fresh pork will make animal welfare considerations a more widely-available choice for consumers, and is an example of working directly with farmers to achieve a better outcome for customers.
“We know that provenance, supporting local Kiwi producers and animal welfare are all increasingly important considerations for our customers. Steve and his team at Patoa Farms have set the bar high for free farmed pork,” says Gullery.
