The first Rainforest Alliance-certified frozen beef product in the European market was launched at the Anuga food fair in Cologne, Germany, which concluded on October 14 after a successful five-day run. Distributed under The Frozen Butcher name, a brand of Zoeterwoude, Holland-based Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat, packaging for the frozen burger bears the iconic frog seal. The meat treat is 100% Brazilian beef sourced from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms.
The product was enthusiastically received at the world’s largest food trade show, where it was the winner of the Anuga Taste 15 competition in the frozen food category and officially unveiled in the presence of Ruaraidh Petre, executive director of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB), and Fernando Sampaio, executive director of the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association and chairman of the Brazilian Roundtable on Sustainable Livestock.
“Consumers are increasingly committed to buying sustainable products that have been produced by suppliers who take into account important issues like carbon footprint reduction, animal welfare and the prevention of deforestation. We hope that our joint efforts will lead to more certified in the near future,” said Marco de Jong, the quality and sustainability manager at Zandbergen World’s Finest Meats.
“We are delighted that these GRSB members are taking this initiative to demonstrate sustainable production practices in Brazil, and I hope that it will stimulate others to our vision of an environmentally sound, social just, and economically viable industry,” said Petre.
Sampaio added: “It’s an incredibly important moment for the Brazilian beef value chain. It’s a clear sign from the market to our producers about the expectations of consumers. And it’s a sign from Brazil to the market showing that change is possible, and that we can successfully produce and at the same time preserve our environment.”
Brazil has a herd of over 200 million cows, and Mafrig Global Foods is the first beef producer in the world to have a Rainforest Alliance-certified production unit which supplies raw material for The Frozen Butcher line.
“We are thrilled to be part of the process to offer a sustainable product with a positive impact in the whole supply chain up to the final consumer,” said Mathias Almeida, the company’s sustainability manager. “Our partnership with Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat is an important reinforcement of our commitment to good environmental practices and concern for the animal welfare in beef production.”
Zandbergen, which ranks among the leading meat sourcing companies in Europe, is no stranger to winning prizes at major international trade fairs. In October of 2014 it received the Meat Product Award at the SIAL in Paris for its then newly launched offering of six differnt high quality burgers with a solid claim on origin of raw material and/or authenticity of breed. The range features Angus, Wagyu, Iberico, lamb, organic and US beef burgers. Elevated from fast food fare to premium meat dish status, the burgers are promoted as “an honest product with a story, specific taste and eating experience.”
