Meat&Poultry - July 2013 - 46

Packaging Solutions

Lighten up

Applegate slices bacon packaging by 37 percent
BY BRYAN SALVAGE
bsalvage@sosland.com

B

ridgewater, NJ-based Apple-

for its three bacon products by a

gate, which processes humane-

healthy 37 percent by reducing the

ly raised meat that is antibiotic- and

packaging size and package weight.

and back to allow more transparency.”
Applegate’s three varieties of bacon include:
• Natural Turkey Bacon – This

hormone-free, offers many products,
including deli meat, hot dogs, din-

Big on sustainability

recipe uses select cuts of hand-

ner sausage, chicken strips, burgers,

“The [bacon] package was just rede-

trimmed, natural turkey thigh meat

breakfast sausage, breaded chicken,

signed within the last few months to

– carefully seasoned and smoked over

corn dogs, pot pie, bacon and even

reduce the packaging/environmental

hardwoods. Applegate uses whole cuts

varieties of cheese.

impact and reduce the footprint in re-

and does not include fillers or nitrites.

In addition to being committed

tailer cases,” explains Neil Leinwand,

• Natural Sunday Bacon – Possesses

to offering healt hier-alternative

Applegate’s senior vice president of

all the flavor of old-fashioned country

meat products, Applegate is equally

marketing.

bacon sans added nitrites or chemical

com m it ted to t he i nc reasi ng ly

The company’s previous bacon

preservatives. The company uses

popular industry trend of maximizing

package was 6.5 inches by 10.75 inch-

select cuts of antibiotic-free pork and

sustainability. Most recently, the

es in size and has since been reduced

seasons it with natural ingredients,

company reduced its bacon packaging

to 5.125 inches by 10.75 inches. As a

such as sea salt. This bacon is also

result, this redesigned packaging is

smoked for hours over hardwood.

using 37 percent less plastic. 

• Natural Canadian Bacon – This

“The new packaging allows con-

that feature a soft, smoky flavor with

fully and the copy is easier to read,”

BEFORE

bacon is made from lean pork loins

sumers to see the bacon inside more

a hint of spice. The process instills a

Leinwand says.

fl avor that is nuanced and complex

T he new pack ag i ng is more

and can’t be reproduced with flavor

transparent and showcases the product

additives, the company claims. It

better, Leinwand adds. The branding

is marinated and slowly cooked

and copy that used to be on the extra

before being flavored with a natural,

plastic is now on a paper band across

environmentally-friendly smoking

the middle of the product.

process that does not create PAHs

“There are not many national
competitors for organic bacon,”

(carcinogens sometimes found in
cooked foods).

Leinwand responds when asked if this

46

Natural Channel and it continues

bacon packages on the market. “In

AFTER

Applegate Bacon is No. 1 in the

package is unique from competitive

to grow, according to the company.

the conventional arena, our package

Suggested retail price for Applegate’s

is unique in its reduced use of plastic

organic bacon is $6.99 and $5.99 for

and the use of clear plastic in front

its natural bacon. ■

• Meat&Poultry • July 2013 • www.MeatPoultry.com
http://www.MeatPoultry.com
Meat&Poultry - July 2013

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