There are concerns that FreshRealm’s ready-to-eat chicken fettuccine alfredo meals sold at Kroger and Walmart might be contaminated with listeria. This was announced by the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday.
A notice from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) says that FreshRealm is recalling all chicken alfredo dishes made before June 17 “out of an abundance of caution.” FreshRealm provides meals to stores and food delivery services like Blue Apron and Amazon Fresh. “.
The recalled products have the USDA mark of inspection on the product label and establishment numbers “EST. P-50784,” “EST. P-47770,” or “EST. P-47718” printed on the packaging, according to FSIS.
“FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them,” the agencys announcement online says. “These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. “.
It is one of the biggest stores in the US, so every year it sells a huge amount of chicken. As a matter of fact, a huge chunk (2025%) of all chicken sold in American grocery stores is bought at Walmart!
With such massive sales volumes, it’s no surprise that many shoppers are curious about the specific brand and source of Walmart’s chicken offerings Understanding where your food comes from and how it is raised is important
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll uncover the key facts on Walmart’s chicken supply:
- The major brands that supply chicken to Walmart stores
- How and where the chickens are raised
- The quality, environmental impact, and health concerns around Walmart chicken
- Recent and upcoming changes in Walmart’s chicken sourcing
What brand is that chicken in your Walmart cart? That’s one of the most common questions people have in the chicken aisle.
Walmart’s Massive Role in U.S. Chicken Sales
As the largest company in the world by revenue, Walmart wields tremendous power over food suppliers. Walmart accounts for a full 25% of all grocery sales in the U.S., marking it as the top food retailer in the nation.
Within grocery, chicken is one of Walmart’s most sold items Walmart sells over 660 million pounds of chicken every year across its 4,700+ US. stores.
To keep up with massive demand Walmart relies on a few key poultry suppliers for the majority of its chicken
- Tyson Foods – Provides ~25% of Walmart’s chicken supply
- Sanderson Farms – Supplies both fresh and frozen chicken
- Perdue Farms – Produces Walmart’s store-brand frozen chicken
By consolidating purchases across a handful of major suppliers, Walmart guarantees stable volume and leverage to negotiate rock-bottom pricing.
Examining the Chicken Brands at Your Local Walmart
Walk down the poultry aisle of your neighborhood Walmart, and you’ll likely spot a range of chicken brands available. However, there are 3 that make up the bulk of Walmart’s packaged chicken offerings:
Great Value (Walmart Store Brand)
- Walmart’s private label brand for chicken products
- Accounts for a sizable portion of Walmart’s chicken selection
- Includes conventional, antibiotic-free, and organic options
Tyson
- The largest supplier of Walmart’s chicken at ~25% of total volume
- Massive poultry producer based in Arkansas
- Supplies Walmart with fresh and frozen chicken
Perdue
- Major East Coast poultry company founded in 1920
- Contracted by Walmart to produce their Great Value frozen chicken
- Offers premium and organic lines in addition to conventional chicken
Beyond these major brands, you may also spot regional brands, Kirkland chicken, and others depending on your location. Ready-to-cook rotisserie chickens at Walmart deli counters are typically sourced from the major suppliers above.
Inside Walmart’s Conventional Chicken Production
Understanding how chickens are raised is key to evaluating the ethics and quality of Walmart chicken. The vast majority of Walmart’s chicken (~95%) comes from conventional industrial farming operations.
Here’s an inside look at how conventional Walmart chickens are typically raised:
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Cramped spaces – Chickens are allotted less than 1 square foot each, crammed into warehouses with poor ventilation
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Rapid growth – Selective breeding and hormones enable chickens to grow to market size in just 6-7 weeks
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Antibiotic use – Chickens routinely receive antibiotics to prevent disease outbreaks in crowded quarters
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Polluting waste – Large volumes of air and water pollution emanate from chicken factory farm facilities
These conditions let chicken suppliers be as efficient as possible while keeping costs low. But a lot of people are against the big effects on the environment, health, and animal welfare.
The Growing Market for Better Chicken
In recent years, Walmart has responded to shifting consumer preferences by expanding their selections of premium chicken raised with higher standards.
Here are some of the key initiatives Walmart has introduced:
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Organic chicken – Certified organic chickens receive non-GMO feed and no antibiotics or hormones
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Humane/Free-range chicken – Slow-growing chicken breeds allowed access to the outdoors and enrichment
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Raised Without Antibiotics – Chickens produced without any antibiotic medications
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Regional local farms – Effort to source from small poultry farms located within 150 miles of stores
However, these premium selections still account for just a tiny fraction of Walmart’s overall chicken volume. Conventional chicken from factory farms remains the norm on Walmart shelves.
Weighing the Health Impact of Eating Walmart Chicken
The health implications of consuming Walmart chicken will depend largely on the specific product:
Benefits
- Source of lean protein, vitamins, minerals
- No added hormones in fresh chicken (despite how chickens are raised)
- Antibiotic-free options available
Potential Risks
- Antibiotic overuse breeds antibiotic-resistant bacteria
- Trace hormones may be present in conventional chicken
- Foodborne illness outbreaks more likely in crowded conditions
People can lower their health risks by choosing antibiotic-free and organic chicken at Walmart. But shoppers who want to save money and choose regular chicken should be aware of the possible downsides.
What Does the Future Hold for Walmart Chicken?
Walmart has announced a commitment to improving poultry sustainability, ethics, and transparency by 2024. Key initiatives include:
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Animal welfare standards – All suppliers must meet animal welfare criteria on housing, health protocols, etc.
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Reduced antibiotic use – Phase out routine antibiotic use under veterinary supervision
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Clearer sourcing – Introduce enhanced traceability and supply chain transparency
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Lower carbon footprint – Partner with suppliers to reduce emissions and resource usage
However, with Walmart’s extreme volumes and ultra-low cost focus, implementing meaningful improvements across their entire chicken supply chain will likely remain challenging.
The Bottom Line: Know What You’re Buying
When it comes to buying chicken at Walmart, shoppers should recognize that the quality, ethics, and sustainability can vary tremendously depending on the specific product. Conventional chicken produced using factory farm methods makes up the vast majority of Walmart’s offerings.
For shoppers concerned about animal welfare, environment, or potential health risks, Walmart’s premium antibiotic-free and organic chicken lines offer a better option – though likely at a higher price.
By better understanding Walmart’s chicken sourcing, we as consumers can make more informed choices that align with our values and priorities when it comes to our food. So check those labels closely next time you head down the poultry aisle!
Possible link to Listeria
Three people have died and one baby has been lost because of a strain of listeria that may have been spread through the chicken dishes. Seventeen people in 13 states have also gotten sick as a result of the outbreak.
FSIS is currently investigating and has not yet determined the source of contamination, according to the notice. The agency says it is working with public health partners to “identify whether a specific ingredient in the chicken fettucine alfredo may be the source of this strain of Lm. “.
So far, the FSIS investigation has found two sick people who said they bought chicken fettuccine alfredo products that looked like FreshRealm products. Two additional ill individuals purchased chicken fettuccine alfredo products that could be traced back to FreshRealm establishments, according to FSIS.
Listeriosis is a serious infection that can happen after eating food that has listeria on it. It can cause fever, muscle pain, headaches, a stiff neck, and other symptoms. Older adults, people with weak immune systems and pregnant women and their newborns are especially susceptible to the infection. In serious cases, listeriosis can be fatal.
“People in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food,” the FSIS says.
More from CBS News
Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at “60 Minutes,” CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.
Everything You Need To Know About Buying Chicken At The Grocery Store
FAQ
Where does marketside chicken come from?
Marketside Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts come from chickens that are hatched, raised cage-free and harvested in the USA.
Is Walmart Marketside chicken good?
You are assured of great quality chicken as it is USDA inspected. These Marketside Butcher Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts are individually wrapped in freezer-ready pouches for your convenience. Fresh ideas and quality ingredients, that’s how Marketside brings the best foods to your table.
Who makes great value chicken reddit?
If you’re not familiar, Great Value is Walmart’s brand of food.
Does Walmart have chicken?
It comes in a 5 or 12. 5-ounce can. There are a lot of good reviews about it on the Walmart website, and many customers say they use the chicken in salads and sandwiches. That said, there are more than a few negative reviews on the site, with complaints discussing their products contained too much water, raw chicken, and rusty cans.
Does Walmart have great value chicken breast?
Great Value Chunk Chicken Breast delivers on its name in all aspects. It comes in a 5 or 12. 5-ounce can. There are a lot of good reviews about it on the Walmart website, and many customers say they use the chicken in salads and sandwiches.
What products does Walmart sell?
The Great Value line at Walmart includes sliced bread, frozen vegetables, frozen dinners, canned foods, light bulbs, trash bags, buttermilk biscuits, cinnamon rolls, pies, and many other common grocery store items. It is Walmart’s most developed retail brand and includes hundreds of everyday items.
Is Walmart a great value brand?
Products offered through the Great Value brand are often claimed by Walmart to be as good as national brand offerings, but are typically sold at a lower price because of lower marketing and advertising expense, and in some cases inferior ingredients. [citation needed]
When did Walmart rebrand great value?
The brand was reintroduced in 2013 with a new logo and a focus on premium food products with organic ingredients. Great Value was launched in 1993 (but products were made as early as 1992) and forms the second tier, or national brand equivalent (NBE), of Walmart’s grocery branding strategy.
Does Walmart have a brand strategy?
Walmart, Inc., like many large retail and grocery chain stores, uses a brand strategy that offers private brands (private label, store brand) and generic brand merchandise. In March 2018, to better compete with Amazon and Target, Walmart introduced three new clothing lines and revamped an existing clothing line.