CHICAGO — The entire retail line of Tyson® branded chicken products will be from birds raised with No Antibiotics Ever (NAE), Tyson Foods announced, making the company the world's leading provider of chicken raised with no antibiotics. Products have now begun to appear on shelves at grocery stores nationwide. Coinciding with the NAE announcement, a documentary film series is being released that gives people an inside look at Tyson® products, practices and more.
The series, filmed by award-winning documentarian Daniel Junge, addresses a variety of misconceptions about the brand – from how chickens are raised to what's inside a Tyson® chicken nugget. The first video in the series just launched, with the remaining rolling out online and across social media over the next several weeks.
"The videos and our No Antibiotics Ever commitment represent a big step for the Tyson® brand in our efforts to act sustainably and transparently," said Duke Zandstra, senior marketing director for the Tyson® brand. "Our goal is to show what good can come when a food company the size and scale of ours opens its doors and invites people in."
Junge met with farmers and their families, plant workers, chefs, animal well-being experts, veterinarians, hatchery managers, truck drivers and others. He also met with the company's namesake and chairman, John Tyson. His comments are featured in the video series.
"I was excited to go where cameras aren't typically allowed," said Junge. "To go behind the scenes of a big chicken producer is intriguing to me. I was interested in seeing the reality behind a lot of the stories you hear about 'big food' and was impressed with the access Tyson Foods provided me to do exactly that."
The first video takes viewers inside a chicken farm to show how independent farmers raise Tyson® chickens and addresses misconceptions about where the company sources its chickens. Additional videos in the series will address a range of topics including a detailed demonstration of how Tyson® chicken nuggets are made and an interview with a veterinarian about the move to No Antibiotics Ever. All video content will be available to view on www.tyson.com/our-practices.
What the videos don't answer, the Tyson® brand team is inviting people to ask on its Facebook page. Experts will be on-hand to answer and further demonstrate the company's commitment to transparency.
"We're working to drive positive change at scale and are constantly striving to do better," said Zandstra. "It's important we invite people in and along for the journey. In the end, we hope people feel good about Tyson® chicken when they head to the grocery store."
About Tyson® Brand
In the 1930s, John W. Tyson moved his family to Arkansas and began delivering farm-raised chickens directly from his truck. From those humble beginnings, the Tyson brand grew, finding new ways to help feed the nation while staying true to its original belief that every family deserves to have farm-raised chicken of the highest quality on their table. The brand's portfolio of products includes Tyson® Fresh and Frozen Chicken, Naturals® Chicken, Grilled & Ready® Chicken, Any'tizers® Snacks, Tyson® Chicken Nuggets and Crispy Strips. As the brand has grown, our beliefs have remained the same. Be good. Be humble. And always keep it real. For more information, visit www.tyson.com.
About Tyson Foods, Inc.
Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest food companies with leading brands such as Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Sara Lee®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells® and State Fair®. It's a recognized market leader in chicken, beef and pork as well as prepared foods, including bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, pizza crusts and toppings, tortillas and desserts. The company supplies retail and foodservice customers throughout the United States and approximately 115 countries. Tyson Foods was founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson, whose family has continued to lead the business with his son, Don Tyson, guiding the company for many years and grandson, John H. Tyson, serving as the current chairman of the board of directors. The company currently has approximately 114,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.
Source: Tyson Foods, Inc.
