Applegate upgrades its ingredients, packaging
Applegate is giving not just its packaging an upgrade, but the ingredients in its deli meats as well.
The Bridgewater, N.J.-based company, which focuses on distributing natural and organic products to consumers, has decided to remove carrageenan from its poultry deli meat varieties.
“We're proud to be a brand that not only listens to consumer feedback, but a brand that takes action on that feedback," Nicole Glenn, Applegate vice president of marketing, said. “Carrageenan is an ingredient Applegate consumers said they wanted removed from our poultry deli meat, so when we developed a way to replace it and improve the taste of those varieties, it was an easy decision to move forward with a carrageenan-free recipe.”
This news from the brand comes on the heels of the United States Department of Agriculture’s, or USDA’s, reversal on banning the seaweed extract from organic foods and beverages, the company said.
“Although the USDA overruled the recommendation from the National Organic Standards Board to remove carrageenan from the list of approved ingredients by the end of 2018, we're moving ahead and taking it out of both our organic and natural poultry deli meat varieties,” Glenn said. “We've never been the type of brand to take the easy way out. We required a no antibiotics policy for the farms we source our meat from long before any government agency stepped in.”
In addition to removing carrageenan, Applegate also is updating its packaging with designs that display a much simpler look. Applegate's new look features an easy-to-open peel and reseal tab that uses less plastic. The new deli changes are currently transitioning at grocery stores and will continue throughout the end of the year.
“For consumers who took the time to call and write to us about their difficulties opening our deli meat packaging, I can confidently say the switch to a new deli packaging with a peel and reseal tab provides a much more enjoyable experience,” Glenn said.
The Bridgewater, N.J.-based company, which focuses on distributing natural and organic products to consumers, has decided to remove carrageenan from its poultry deli meat varieties.
“We're proud to be a brand that not only listens to consumer feedback, but a brand that takes action on that feedback," Nicole Glenn, Applegate vice president of marketing, said. “Carrageenan is an ingredient Applegate consumers said they wanted removed from our poultry deli meat, so when we developed a way to replace it and improve the taste of those varieties, it was an easy decision to move forward with a carrageenan-free recipe.”
This news from the brand comes on the heels of the United States Department of Agriculture’s, or USDA’s, reversal on banning the seaweed extract from organic foods and beverages, the company said.
“Although the USDA overruled the recommendation from the National Organic Standards Board to remove carrageenan from the list of approved ingredients by the end of 2018, we're moving ahead and taking it out of both our organic and natural poultry deli meat varieties,” Glenn said. “We've never been the type of brand to take the easy way out. We required a no antibiotics policy for the farms we source our meat from long before any government agency stepped in.”
In addition to removing carrageenan, Applegate also is updating its packaging with designs that display a much simpler look. Applegate's new look features an easy-to-open peel and reseal tab that uses less plastic. The new deli changes are currently transitioning at grocery stores and will continue throughout the end of the year.
“For consumers who took the time to call and write to us about their difficulties opening our deli meat packaging, I can confidently say the switch to a new deli packaging with a peel and reseal tab provides a much more enjoyable experience,” Glenn said.