Joyce Farms adds heritage pork, bison
Joyce Farms has expanded its Heritage product line to include pork and bison, citing growing interest in heritage breeds among fine-dining chefs. The pork comes from an old-world English breed, the Gloucestershire Old Spot. Dating back to 1790, the breed was popular in England through the 1920s and 1930s. The British royal family still keeps the pedigreed pigs on its Gloucestershire estates. Joyce Farms Heritage Bison is 100 percent grass-fed and grass-finished. The bison graze on 2,500 acres of Wisconsin prairie that replicates the grasslands from hundreds of years ago and supplies high levels of nutrients.
Grecian Delight unveils foodservice offerings
Grecian Delight is introducing new Mediterranean and Middle Eastern products for foodservice customers. The lineup includes ReadyCarved Flame Broiled Off-the-Cone Al Pastor Pork Slices, ReadyCarved Flame Broiled Off-the-Cone Natural Halal Shawarma Slices, an expanded portfolio of One Republic Flatwraps, and Harissa Sauce, a Middle Eastern/North African hot sauce staple.
Oprah and Kraft roll out pizza, chicken soup
Oprah Winfrey and Kraft Heinz are expanding their O, That’s Good! line to include frozen pizzas made with crusts containing cauliflower. The pizzas come in Pepperoni, Five Cheese, Supreme and Fire Roasted Veggie and retail for $6.99. The joint venture is also adding four new products in its refrigerated soups and sides line: Chicken With White & Wild Rice Soup, Roasted Corn Chowder, Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli Cheddar Rice.
Gourmet pigfest returns to Chicago in September
Cochon555, a food and wine festival of all things pork, is scheduled for Sept. 30 in Chicago. The event will feature high-profile chefs and nose-to-tail cookery in a gourmet tasting menu, served alongside wines, boutique spirits, handcrafted cocktails, cheeses, charcuterie, sweets and pop-up food experiences. Eleven chefs from across the U.S. and Canada will compete in a culinary showdown for the title of “King or Queen of Porc” and the grand prize — a four-day wine experience in Rioja, Spain. Winners are selected by 30 chef judges and a vote of the festival’s attendees. Tickets start at $150 for general admission and $225 for VIP (includes early entry) and are sold online.
Colameco pancetta adds GAP certification
Colameco’s Primo Naturale has announced that its All Natural Uncured Pancetta is now GAP Step 1 Certified. GAP, a non-profit started in 2008 by John Mackey, founder of Whole Foods Market, is North America’s largest animal welfare standards organization. The Step 1 certification means products meet the standards of no cages, no crates and no crowding of the livestock.