Meat+Poultry - May 2019 - 32

ADVER TORIAL

Craftsman French
Flavor Comes to the US

s American consumers' tastes
continue to grow and evolve,
the desire for new foods, and
new demands on the companies that
produce food, evolves as well. While
US consumers appreciate interesting
gourmet ﬂavors and new eating
experiences in the form of local fare,
ethnic cuisine, product narrative and
elsewhere, they also want transparency
and health attributes.
Bayonne Ham, produced in the Adour
River basin in Southwest France, covers
every point of interest for the American
foodie in search of something healthy,
tasty, honest and different. Producers of
Bayonne Hams use the same ancestral
peasant knowledge passed down for
1000 years, and in 1998 Bayonne Ham
acquired the Protected Geographical
Indication (PGI) status. It was the ﬁrst
French food product to be awarded
the title and guarantees full quality and
respect for its geographic origins.
"Bayonne Ham addresses American
foodies' search for authentic, premium
and traceable craft products," says
Pierre-Yves Alifat, head of the Bayonne
Ham Council.
The Bayonne Ham Council was
created and began to promote the
PGI ham in 1991. European Decree
formalized the PGI status of Jambon
de Bayonne on October 7, 1998. The
Bayonne Ham Council gathers and
organizes every participant involved in
Bayonne Ham production. This includes
950 pig farms, 39 livestock producers,
23 cutting plants and 30 curing units, all
located in Southwest France.
Bayonne's terroir (the environmental
factors that affect phenotype), the
Adour River basin, and its ingredients
join to create a unique ﬂavor
impossible to replicate. The PGI status
ensures the ingredients all come
from Southwest France. Winds from
the Pyrénées mountains, known as
"Foehn," coupled with the air from the

Atlantic Ocean create the perfect
environment to cure the meat from
pigs born, bred and fed in the area.
Even the salt for the cure, from Saliesde-Bearn, is labeled with PGI status.
The natural, local, premium and
transparent nature of Bayonne Ham

appeals to the American demand. The
Bayonne Ham Council focused its export
efforts on the American market and
targets those looking for the attributes
these hams offer. Five of the roughly 100
Bayonne Hams produced are currently
available in the US:
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*
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Bayonne Ham is rich in vitamins
and particularly vitamin B1, which
ﬁght again cell and skin ageing.
100g of Bayonne Ham provides 7080% of an adult's recommended
daily vitamin B1 requirements
Bayonne Ham is relatively low in
cholesterol. Oleic acid, the pork's
main grease constituent, diminishes
"bad cholesterol"
Bayonne Ham is not too salty
Bayonne Ham is a nutritional
source of essential fatty acids. This
healthy fat is necessary since it is an
essential source of energy
Bayonne Ham is a great source
of proteins; every 100g of ham
contains 23g of protein. 150g of
Bayonne Ham contains about 45%
of an adult's recommended daily
requirements. The ham's protein/
calorie ratio is very healthy

Maison Agour (importer: Peterson)
Delpeyrat (importer:
Specialities Inc)
Salaisons de l'Adour
(importer: Fromi)
Mayte (importer: 3 Petits Cochons)
Pierre Oteiza (importer: Gourmet &
More Inc.)

But it's not just the production
attributes or the transparency that
makes Bayonne Ham appealing to
Americans. Flavor and versatility matter
just as much to US consumers.
"Our US consumers often comment
on the different taste proﬁles of Bayonne
Ham. Thin slices, best served on their
own or on a charcuterie board, really
bring out the deep ﬂavor of the ham
and give it 'a melt in your mouth'
texture," says Florane Gambert-Jouan,
USA Representative Bayonne Ham
Council. "Thicker slices taste slightly
more savory, which makes them perfect
for cooking. This range of tastes and
possibilities comes from the PGI spring
salt used for curing ham. This natural salt
has been around for millions of years
and is sourced responsibly from the
Salies de Béarn, in Southwest France.
It goes without saying that Bayonne
Ham has no preservatives or added
hormones, which also really appeals to
our US consumers."
Considering the attributes of Bayonne
Ham, The Bayonne Ham Council
logically chose to focus its international
ambition on the US. The Council has
set an achievable goal of making 25
percent of its overall international export
dedicated to the US by 2020.

The content of this advertorial represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility.
The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

Meat+Poultry - May 2019

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