Meat + Poultry - July 2008 - 106

MBA POULTRY

big tank. There's no way to track them,"
he says. And from consumers' point of
view, he notes, air-chilled birds are more
pure. "There's no absorption of water.
You're not paying protein prices for addnor amount of
ed water. We lost a minor
weight, but we think it'ss worth
now
it to the consumer to know
they're buying nothing
ng
but meat. Air-chilling
g
is a purer, more natural process producing
a purer, more natural
product."
Commercial air-chill-ailing systems are now available in the U.S., but MBA's
ustry sup
is, according to an industry
supplier familiar with the company's Nebraska plant, "kind of a home-made
system. But it has worked for them for
quite a while." Haskins first saw airchilling on a visit to Europe and he
was excited by the flavor of the poultry he tasted there.
When MBA moved into a new, stateof-the-art facility in Waverly in 2006, the
old air-chilling system was moved over,
now complemented by a European-style
CO2-stunning system.
The new plant, which typically processes 60,000 birds per day, partners with
a second MBA operation that produces
fresh ground chicken and fully-cooked
chicken sausage. "Our vision has always
been to produce the best fresh chicken
available. That will continue to be our
focus," Siebert says. "With regard to CO2
stunning, we are always pursuing innovations to ensure we achieve our goals."
He adds: "At the moment of slaughter, if the bird is excited or are violent, you're not going to get the same
quality meat. CO2 stunning removes
that risk."
Birds raised for MBA are fed an antibiotic- and hormone-free diet, and
allowed to freely range in barns and
barnyards. The company's products
are certified organic as well as certified humane.
Does MBA's emphasis on bird care
106

MEAT&POULTRY

July 2008

and processing quality connect
with Mark Haskins' faith and
grow out of the Biblical direction
to humankind to give dominion -
which some interpreters have suggested means humane treatment
- over the animal kingdom?
Siebert says no. "It's a funcSiebe
tion of two things. First,
tio
this is the right way to
th
handle poultry, pure
h
and simple. Second, it
produces a better product. We believe many
u
studies have shown that
st
you get a more flavorful
product when you treat the
prod
birds righ
right."

From chicken to living
The company's Web site, www.smartchicken.com, is so named because "if
you have an MBA, you are likely to
be smarter than most." "Our name reminds us that we are not here to massproduce a commodity chicken, but
instead to provide the quality and service of a focused and dedicated team
of experts," the site explains. "We will
always work diligently to invest in our
most valuable asset - our name."
Siebert says his company's product
cost more than mainstream poultry. He
says the price differential "varies from region to region." "I think it's still a niche
product," he continues. It's difficult for a
large processor to retrofit a plant for airchilling and CO2 stunning - the costs
would be very significant. But clearly, our
product has achieved a foothold. I think
you'd find that consumers and retailers
prefer it when they have the choice."
Distribution of MBA's "Smart Chicken"
extends along the East and West coasts
and into the major metropolitan of the
Midwest. Approximately 3,500 retail stores
in 40 states carry MBA products.
Perhaps uniquely in the U.S. poultry industry, MBA has extended the
"Smart" concept guiding its poultry
production into a general well-life program for consumers that the compa-

www.MEATPOULTRY.com

ny calls Smart Living: "Our
goal is to help you develop
a healthier and more satisfying life for you and your family.
You will find plenty of positive
examples and exciting pathways
to optimal health that could lead
you to examine your habits, your
diet and ultimately your lifestyle. Optimum, robust health isn't based solely on nutrition; it is a combination of
strategies." The program is perhaps
the most evident example of Haskins'
guiding, if absent, presence in MBA's
continuing effort to make its poultry
products the centerpiece of a healthy,
faith-based lifestyle.
Smart Living's five components include Emotion ("Development of strategies to deal with life's ups and downs,
including stress management and
the cultivation of a positive frame of
mind"), Interaction ("Friendship, love
and encouragement of support systems
between each person's family, friends
and community"), Fitness ("Smart nutrition, regular exercise that develops
stamina, strength, balance and cardiovascular capacity. Health and medical
awareness, and enlightened self care.
Finally, doing what needs to be done
to avoid harmful substances of all
kinds"), Faith ("Belief and commitment
to a divine power, love, hope, peace
and charity, throughout your own life
and throughout the world") and Intellect ("A healthy curiosity and mental
stimulation including educational involvement, personal achievement and
career development").
Kevin Siebert emphasizes that Smart
Chicken, Smart Living and MBA Poultry
will continue to be guided by the philosophy Haskins established from the
start. "What Mark's vision was, we're on
the same path," he says.
Steve Bjerklie is M&P's East Coast correspondent,
based in Franconia, N.H. He has worked as a journalist covering the meat and poultry processing industry
for more than 25 years.
We would like to hear from you - to comment on
this story or to request reprints, contact us by
e-mail at: meatpoultry@sosland.com.

http://www.smart http://www.chicken.com http://www.MEATPOULTRY.com

Meat + Poultry - July 2008

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