DuBreton recognized for animal welfare values

February 27, 2020, Rivière-du-Loup, Que. – Les Viandes du Breton, president of DuBreton, received the National Supplier of the Year & Organic Commitment awards from Whole Foods Market at a ceremony recently in Austin, Texas.

The awards spotlight suppliers that exemplify the grocer’s mission and core values through commitments to quality, environmental stewardship, organic integrity, innovation, purpose and partnership.

“Being recognized with these top honours by a company that is reinventing the food industry like Whole Foods Market is really a great source of pride,” du Breton said in a press release. “This business relationship has been at the heart of our development since 2000. Our shared values of animal welfare and transparency are written in our DNA.

“Meeting the Global Animal Partnership (GAP 5-Step) certification standards is an important commitment that requires organizational flexibility, vision, and determination. It’s more demanding but much more rewarding.”

DuBreton products are sold at Whole Foods Market locations in Canada and the U.S.

Compliance with the GAP 5-Step standard assures consumers that animals are raised without the use of antibiotics or added hormones, are fed vegetable grains and no animal byproducts, have twice as much space to move in a cage-free environment, and suffer no physical alterations such as tail and tooth trimming, contrary to standard industry practice.

Each of DuBreton’s farms is visited by an external auditor to ensure that the specifications are followed to the letter. Other certifications are based only on a sample of producers.

“This award recognizes the work of all our teams, who contribute daily to maintaining the level of quality required by our own standards and those of our certifiers,” du Breton said. “Consumers are increasingly aware of the food choices they can make to support responsible producers and businesses.

“Certifications such as GAP 5-Step are a way to ensure that what you eat aligns with your own values, more respectful of animals and the environment than the convenience industry. DuBreton has chosen to subscribe to certifications verified by an external auditor to demonstrate transparency and credibility.”

DuBreton is a leading pork specialist and offers a complete range of natural and organic pork products. All of its lines have an increased focus on humane farming techniques and respect the animals’ natural development and environment.