Roche Bros. has expanded its meat department offerings to include antibiotic-free chicken and Niman Ranch brand all natural pork.
Roche Bros., a family owned chain of full-service supermarkets, said its private label brand No Added Antibiotics, 100% Natural Chicken is raised without antibiotics, hormones, or steroids and has no artificial ingredients or chemical preservatives. The chicken is American Humane Certified, a voluntary third party animal welfare audit program. The chicken is available at prices competitive with conventional chicken in other supermarkets, the company said.
The Niman Ranch pork products are sourced from hogs that are fed a 100 percent vegetarian diet. The hogs never receive hormones or antibiotics, and they are raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens where they have freedom to express natural behaviors like rooting and roaming, according to the company.
Frank Vitale, Roche Bros. meat director, said the company has been working on expanding its all natural meat selection for some time.
"We're able to continue growing because our associates work hard to build customer relationships and find out what shoppers want to see on our shelves," Vitale said. "We are always striving to provide a wider product mix so that our customers can count on having options and choices when they shop our stores."
Massachusetts-based Roche Bros. also offers all-natural Angus beef under the store's brand. Angus is a type of cattle known for having well-marbled meats with superior taste and tenderness. Roche Bros. all natural Angus Beef is raised at a 52 mile ranch at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Montana. The beef contains no antibiotics or hormones, and cattle are never fed animal by-products. The cattle also are certified humane raised and treated.
