Turkey Burgers Go Antibiotic-Free As Butterball Jumps On Trend

Health-conscious grillers will be pleased to see there’s one step missing from their turkey burgers this summer: antibiotics.

Butterball LLC, the biggest U.S. turkey processor, is rolling out a new line of ground meat that’s produced from birds never given the medicine. The “Farm to Family” brand is already making its way to supermarkets, and the company is aiming to generate $100 million in retail sales over the next three to four years, according to Bill Klump, the chief marketing officer of the Garner, North Carolina-based company.

Butterball adds to a growing number of poultry companies responding to changing consumer tastes by seeking to reduce antibiotic use. Perdue Farms Inc. in February said it was transitioning to chicken and turkey products that used “no antibiotics ever.” Tyson Foods Inc., the largest U.S. meat processor, said last year it planned to eliminate the use of human antibiotics in chickens by September 2017. Fast-food chains are also shifting, with McDonald’s Corp.’s announcing in March 2015 a move to stop serving chicken raised with some antibiotics within two years.

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