CLAREMONT, N.H. — North Country Smokehouse owner and pork supplier, Les Viandes du Breton, received the National Supplier of the Year & Organic Commitment awards from Whole Foods Market at a ceremony held in Austin, Texas, on February 18. The awards spotlight suppliers that exemplify the grocer’s mission and core values through commitments to quality, environmental stewardship, organic integrity, innovation, purpose and partnership.
“Being recognized with these top honors by a company that is reinventing the food industry like Whole Foods Market is really a great source of pride. This business relationship has been at the heart of our development since 2000. Our shared values of animal welfare and transparency are written in our DNA. Meeting the Global Animal Partnership [GAP 5-Step] certification standards is an important commitment that requires organizational flexibility, vision, and determination,” explains duBreton President, Vincent Breton. “It’s more demanding but much more rewarding.”
duBreton products are sold at Whole Foods Market locations in Canada and the United States. Compliance with the GAP 5-Step standard assures consumers that animals are raised without the use of antibiotics or added hormones, are fed vegetable grains and no animal by-products, have twice as much space to move in a cage-free environment, and suffer no physical alterations such as tail and tooth trimming, contrary to standard industry practice. Each of duBreton’s farms is visited by an external auditor to ensure that the specifications are followed to the letter. Other certifications are based only on a sample of producers.
“This award recognizes the work of all our teams, who contribute daily to maintaining the level of quality required by our own standards and those of our certifiers. Consumers are increasingly aware of the food choices they can make to support responsible producers and businesses. Certifications such as GAP 5-Step are a way to ensure that what you eat aligns with your own values and is more respectful of animals and the environment. DuBreton has chosen to subscribe to certifications verified by an external auditor to demonstrate transparency and credibility,” concludes Vincent Breton.
North Country Smokehouse – A Subsidiary of duBreton.
Canadian based company, duBreton, acquired North Country Smokehouse in 2015, following a successful partnership spanning more than twenty years. The companies operate independently in their respective locations with one goal in mind, to supply retailers, restaurants, and consumers with sustainably sourced, fresh and further processed pork.
With consumers growing demand for certified humane and organic pork, both duBreton and North Country Smokehouse have earned their rightful place among North America’s agri-food leaders, offering a complete range of the pork products from pigs raised and processed to the highest standards of quality and animal care.
