Heinen's Enhances Meat Transparency

Ohio's Gerber Poultry is using the Where Food Comes From labeling program on its Gerber’s Amish Farm Chicken, available exclusively at Heinen’s grocery stores in Ohio and Illinois.

"We are continually seeking ways to help our customers make informed choices about the foods they purchase,” said Tom Heinen, co-president of Heinen's. "We are elated to now include Gerber’s Amish Farm Chicken into our growing ranks of products certified by the Where Food Comes From program. Our goal is to continue to find ways to re-connect our customers to the food they eat and provide transparency in all of our food sources, and the Where Food Comes From program allows us to do just that.”

Using QR codes for smartphones, Where Food Comes From leads consumers through the story behind their food and empowers customers to make informed decisions about what they feed their families. Customers can learn more about the families who produce their food, as well as more specific details on the product itself.

“When Tom Heinen came to us and said that he wanted to provide his customers with trust and transparency in their food products, we knew Where Food Comes From was the answer,” said John Saunders, chairman and CEO. “With Gerber’s Amish Farm Chicken now added to the growing list of products at Heinen’s stores approved through our industry-leading third-party source-verification program, Tom and his brother Jeff have proven their dedication to not only sourcing the best products for their customers, but also telling the story behind them.”

A third-generation family-owned and -operated business, Gerber Poultry has developed a reputation for excellence in quality and service for customers in regional markets. "My grandparents Dwight and Melva Gerber first began producing and delivering poultry products over 60 years ago to address consumer demand for fresh, delicious, locally raised chicken,” said Lisa Gerber Shoup, VP of sales and marketing for Gerber Poultry. “I believe they would be very proud to see our response to consumer demands for transparency with the adoption of the Where Food Comes From labeling program."

Heinen’s operates 18 stores in the Cleveland area and Barrington, Ill., in Chicago's northwest suburbs.

Castle Rock, Colo.-based Where Food Comes From Inc. supports more than 10,000 farmers, ranchers, processors, retailers and restaurants with third-party verification of food production practices.