SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: Ground meat trends + technology - October 2021 - 15

" The majority of our beef comes from
Uruguay, where cattle have been raised exclusively
on natural grassland pastures for more
than 400 years, " Ehrlich said. " Raising worldclass,
grass-fed beef is a national tradition, passion,
and vital part of the Uruguayan economy.
Since the launch of Verde, we've also worked to
help build a supply network of USDA organic
certified farms in Uruguay from less than 100 to
now more than 1,000. "
begins, Verde Farms inspects raw material with
X-ray technology to prevent any out-of-specification
material from ever entering the process.
This further layer adds to the company's rigorous
supplier assurance program.
In addition to foreign material detection,
The average Uruguayan farm uses at least 1
acre of land per animal and most animals spend
their entire life on the same farm. For example,
Verde's Angus and Herefords reach maturity at
24 to 30 months grazing in the same pastures
they were born on.
Once Verde's cows reach maturity, the company
transports them to optimally located
processing facilities for slaughter and cutting.
Verde owns a modern, GFSI, level 2 SQFcertified
processing facility in New Jersey with
state-of-the-art equipment to process and package
its beef, as well as its other raw single ingredient
(RSI) products.
" Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification is a rigorous
program, and we're proud to hold a score
of 93, something that was achieved thanks to
Verde's QA Department involving the whole company, "
Ehrlich said. " We also partner with copackers
who support overflow of our ground
beef and other RSI products, as well as those
who support our value-added products that are
part of our ongoing growth strategy. "
AUTOMATION ADDS TO CUSTOM
Although Verde uses cattle raised using a 400-yearold
tradition, it utilizes technology and automation
in all processes from beginning to end to gain efficiency
and provide the highest quality product.
The company links the warehouse and corporate
enterprise resource planning (ERP) system
throughout the entire production and shipping
process with scanning technology.
In addition to resource management technology,
Verde believes in going all out on food
safety. Metal detection and X-ray are both part of
a strict process to guarantee safe food.
" In line with industry food safety and quality
standards, all finished product must be passed
through a metal detection system to ensure that
it's free from any metal contaminants, but for
Verde, this is actually the second screening our
products pass through, " said Claudio Andrade,
director of quality assurance. Before the grind
Verde's X-ray process also measures chemical
leanness in real time and analyzes in-line fat.
Those key data points ensure finished products
meet specifications, as well as superior quality
expectations. All the data collected goes into the
Salesforce ERP and X-ray images can be stored
for future screening and internal training. Verde
will also apply the data collected to evaluate supplier
performance and create stronger trust with
the company's partners.
We embrace
our role as
an industry
leader and
will continue
to work
toward
expanding
consumer
access to
grass-fed
beef raised
the right
way. "
Dana Ehrlich
" In addition to a robust supplier management
program, Verde also applies an intervention technology
on all incoming beef trimmings, " Andrade
said. " By continuing to leverage the latest technologies
in processing and automation, we have
the capacity to keep up with the growing demand
that is anticipated in this space. "
Verde ensures present and future customers
and consumers receive superior quality, safe and
regulatory compliant products through a commitment
by the quality assurance and supply chain
team to continually work with suppliers and partners.
The team leads a systematic evaluation process
of specific technical and value-based standards
including animal welfare compliance;
certifications including USDA, Organic, and GFSI;
continual quality assurance testing and transparency
to establish accountability and trust.
The Gaucho way
According to Verde Farms, the gauchos live
by a simple and timeless code: They respect
animals, they honor the land and they value
family, simplicity and integrity. Historically,
the nomadic and colorful horsemen of the
Argentine and Uruguayan plains, known for
hardiness and lawlessness, flourished from
the mid-18th to the mid-19th century. They
first rounded up herds of horses and cattle
that roamed the vast grasslands, known as
the Pampas, east of the Andes. In the early
19th century, they fought first in the armies
that defeated the Spanish colonial regime and
then for the military dictators who jockeyed
for power after independence.
SOURCE: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary
MEAT+POULTRY 2021 GROUND MEAT TRENDS + TECHNOLOGY
15
http://www.Merriam-Webster.com
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: Ground meat trends + technology - October 2021

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