Cargill Begins Labeling Finely Textured Beef

WICHITA, Kan.Striving for a greater level of transparency, Cargill has rolled out new ground beef initiative for consumers that includes an array of informational tools ranging from enhanced labeling on ground beef products, including finely textured beef, to more fact-based material online, as well as a pre-printed, on-pack, quick response (QR) code for mobile devices.

Based on dialogue we had with consumers and retailers, Cargill designed these ground beef communications initiatives to provide information that enhances consumer awareness about ground beef products regarding how they are made and used," said John Keating, president of Cargills Wichita-based beef business.

Cargills ground beef information initiative includes a new CargillGroundBeef.com website for consumers seeking information about ground beef. Cargill also refreshed its Our Certified ground beef brand with a new logo and design elements. Effective Jan. 20, 2014, in the United States, its Our Certified brand will include a quick response (QR) code on the front of packaging that enables consumers to instantly access the CargillGroundBeef.com website. Consumers will be able to trace the ground beef they buy back to Cargill processing facility where it was produced. The packaging will also provide clearer labeling of the ground beef as being gluten free," while also clearly identifying 93% lean ground beef products as Lean Ground Beef."

Also effective Jan. 20, 2014, all Cargill branded U.S. produced, fresh, 100% ground beef products containing finely textured beef, including Our Certified brand products, began rolling out to the marketplace carrying the declaration Contains Finely Textured Beef" on the product box end labels. Cargills Our Certified brand ground beef chubs also will include the printed declaration on retail packaging. The company also developed a dedicated website for its finely textured beefGroundBeefAnswers.comthat contains detailed information and videos about finely textured beef.