Feel Good About Eating Organic Meat

Written by on January 25th, 2012.
Filed under: Products We Love

Eating Organic is no longer new for many, and for some it’s a way of life.  Since working at Wegmans I have seen the demand for more organic foods grow. To find the best Organic meats, we’ve traveled near and far to find suppliers that share our values and high standards. So when anyone asks me “what’s so great about Organic meat?” I can tell the story from personal experience.

Organic Chicken Farm

All of our organic meats meet USDA certification, are free-range and come in Keeps Fresh Packaging. The flavor is great too! The chicken is moist and flavorful, the pork is savory and tender, and the beef is lean and “beefier.”  What’s that mean? It’s a deep, rich flavor that develops when the cattle can graze freely on grass as nature intended.

Organic cattle in grasslandsKeeping it local makes a difference. Like all our meat, whenever possible, we source from nearby suppliers, like our Organic Chicken in southeastern Pennsylvania or our Organic Pork from neighboring provinces of Canada.  Sometimes, though, we have to travel considerably farther to find the best out there. Such was the case with our Organic Beef.

Our quest for the best Organic Beef took us to Uruguay, where beef grazes on endless pastures of Organic grass, year round. Small family farmers are committed to sharing the focus on quality and sustainability. Product is processed in modern facilities (that we’ve inspected) that ensure our high standards for food safety.

Organic BeefHere’s a little-known health secret about our Organic Beef —it’s leaner, too. The meat’s actually less fatty and has half the calories when compared to non-organic thanks to the cattle’s ability to roam freely and feed on vast, pristine grassland. So it’s truly Food You Feel Good About.

So is Organic Meat worth the extra money? Absolutely! Our organic family farmers take extra care and closely monitor their livestock;plus using more expensive organic feed, leads to a higher cost. To help you get a taste for a little less, here is a coupon to try it for yourself.

Wegmans Organic Festival

 

Want to try before you buy? We’re doing in-store tasting events scheduled for this Saturday (the 28th) so you can!

Mark Spagnola
13 years @ Wegmans
Category Merchant - Meat Department
 

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19 Comments »

19 Responses to “Feel Good About Eating Organic Meat”

  1. The popular press has been giviing some attention to the meat by-product they call “pink slime”.
    How can we tell if it is contained in Wegman’s ground beef?

    Don Butler commented on March 9, 2012.
    Reply

    • Hi Don,

      We updated our Hot Topics page today with information about how our ground beef is produced. Please visit the link to find out more, and feel free to contact us with any further questions.

      -Valerie
      Media Specialist

      Valerie Fox commented on March 9, 2012.
      Reply

  2. I have finally decided to start buying organic meat after reading about how terribly farm animals are treated…this stems from the minute they are born to the time they are slaughtered (I really hate to use that word). I do have a question…Am I to be assured that by buying organic, that the animals are treated HUMANELY? I understand they are free to roam and that’s great…but how often are the farms visited by Wegmans’ representatives to ensure they are following through with their commitment? Are they treated as humanely as possible when they are slaughtered?

    Annie Holland commented on February 2, 2012.
    Reply

    • All of our supplier-partners are certified with strict food safety and animal welfare standards. Here’s a link to our animal welfare philosophy, which you may find helpful. It also has an attached chart about animal welfare and Wegmans brand meats. Our team is actually headed to Uruguay to visit one of our suppliers on Monday.

      Mark Spagnola commented on February 3, 2012.
      Reply

  3. I have been buying Wegmans organic meat for sometime now and am always excited when I see a new cut or selection to choose from. Buying organic is not easy and can be difficult to find. Wegmans has always provided a great selection and the best prices! I do have concern about the plastic packaging though. Due to the fact that I am spending the extra money for healthier chemical-free meat for my family, it would be nice to know that the way in which the meat is packaged is also chemical free. Do you know if your packaging is BPA free? Thank you!

    Stephanie commented on February 1, 2012.
    Reply

    • Hi Stephanie,

      We’re checking into this for you and will follow up to let you know what we find out. If it’s helpful to you in the meantime, here’s a link to our Hot Topics page with information on BPA.

      -Valerie
      Media Specialist

      Update: Stephanie, the packaging is BPA free.

      Valerie Fox commented on February 3, 2012.
      Reply

  4. I’m not a big meat eater, but when I do, it’s Organic. I realize there is no worry about the meat having anti-biotics or other chemicals. The only place I purchase my meat is Wegmans because I feel confident in the quality. I consider myself among the luck consumers to have the opportunity to have a place like Wegmans to shop at.

    Lorraine Ciuba commented on January 27, 2012.
    Reply

  5. Just please keep your sources local for meat. I really appreciate the coupon as organic meats are terribly expensive.

    Tina commented on January 27, 2012.
    Reply

  6. Loved the article! Thanks for the coupon…keep them coming!

    Desiree commented on January 27, 2012.
    Reply

  7. We have recently had grass-fed hamburger at a restaurant in Hyattsville and I am very much looking forward to trying yours. I have multiple food allergies and intolerances, so organic meat makes sense for me.
    I am very impressed with our new Wegmans here in Bel Air, Maryland. Since I have hand arthritis and cook most things from scratch, I especially appreciate the store-cut vegetables.

    Deb commented on January 27, 2012.
    Reply

  8. I’m also allergic to corn and all its derivatives. My allergy isn’t affected by what the animal eats, but rather it’s what the meats are washed with that I react to (i.e., vinegar, citric acid, etc). I don’t react to your organic grass fed beef! To top it off, the flavor is MUCH better than any other I’ve tasted. Please don’t change anything because yours is the only store bought beef I can eat. And I am not alone. I know of many other corn allergic people out there who are safely eating your beef, too. :-)

    (I do react to your organic chicken, though…bummer!)

    Susan Adams Oliff commented on January 27, 2012.
    Reply

  9. Thank you so much!!!! Due to a number of food intolerances I have been shopping in the Nature’s Market and from the various organic sections of the store much more recently. With reactions to corn/corn products and soy especially it has altered things quite a bit;). That being said I am liking the whole foods approach and am nothing short of amazed at the difference between the organic grass-fed beef and what we used to eat. It does indeed cook up MUCH better with and with a much better taste. As a former Wegman’s employee, and very dedicated Weg’s shopper….thank you as always for the variety that you offer. My family and I are looking forward to finding new foods and recipes to enjoy while ensuring everyone’s well being. The coupon here is much appreciated and will be put to use this weekend:)!!!!!!

    Julia Fuchs commented on January 26, 2012.
    Reply

  10. we have started the process of moving to mostly organic goods….wow, it is expensive….but, you can’t put a price on the health of your family….keep the coupons coming.

    keith culhane commented on January 26, 2012.
    Reply

  11. I moved in with my grandmother when I left home in 1980. I shared many meals with her over the insuing years. I can vividly recall her express with disgust that nothing tasted as good as it used to. Beef,pork and chicken. I believed it was just in her head or she was just being too fussy. I have had Wegmans organic pork and chicken and am floored with the flavor profile. I owe my grandmother a profound apology, one I hope to someday personally deliver.

    Mark commented on January 26, 2012.
    Reply

  12. I love the fact that Wegmans supports Organic produce and live stock. I used to live in California where there was an abundance of organic foods. Here in Rochester, they can be harder to find but Wegmans does a great job of supplying organic products. The only thing I’m not fond of is that the beef comes from over seas and the pork comes form Canada. I’d be much happier seeing these items sourced right here in the USA!

    Ben B commented on January 26, 2012.
    Reply

    • We couldn’t agree more about sourcing locally and domestically. Unfortunately, sometimes our quest to meet our high standards takes us beyond our own borders. A number of key considerations were made including Organic certification, sustainable farm practices, commitment to animal welfare, compliance with food safety standards, ability to meet our supply needs and capability of providing great tasting products that will ensure our customer’s success.

      Mark Spagnola commented on January 27, 2012.
      Reply

      • There is no need to go to Uruguay to get organic grass-fed meat; there’s lots in central PA. They’re on pasture all year, eat grass in the summer and hay (which is just cut and stored grass) in the winter. We have some literally award-winning closed herds around here. It’s ridiculous that you buy from elsewhere when I can buy from the guy down the road from me.

        Also, with grass-fed, low fat is NOT better. The whole POINT of grass-fed beef is the high levels of vitamins A, D, K2 and CLA in it… all of which is in the fat. This is meat where the fat is a health food.

        jpatti commented on March 30, 2012.
        Reply

  13. My wife is not great with change and has always shaken her head at anything organic. The explanation of what organic meat is has opened my eyes, the next time I am in Wegman’s I will be sure to look for the organic meat. I will try and make one of the tastings on Saturday, it would be great if there was also some beer to sample! What a great combo, a nice piece of organic meat and some cold beer.

    Scott Murphy commented on January 26, 2012.
    Reply

  14. In the past I have not been an informed shopper about organic foods and organic meat products have not found their way into my weekly Wegmans shopping cart. This article gives me many reasons to alter my meat-buying practices. Mr. Spagnola addresses taste, health and cost which are all important to me when cooking for my family and friends. I love to cook and Wegmans is my trusted source for food and almost a daily source for on-line recipes to use the food I purchase. The coupon makes it easy to “see for myself” and yet another reason why I love Wegmans and all they have to offer. Thanks so much for making me a smarter shopper and probably a better cook!

    Sandy Sloan commented on January 25, 2012.
    Reply

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