Our selection of meat and poultry is renowned for great taste and superior quality, and we believe that has a lot to do with the care that goes into raising the animals and the true partnerships we develop with farmers and ranchers who supply our stores.Importantly, these partnerships allow us to know how the animals were raised for the meat you’re buying, including what they ate and where they came from.
Plus, these partnerships allow us to offer a wide selection — from grass-fed beef to pasture-raised chicken to organics – and support local farming and ranching, which means more local meat and poultry at your neighborhood Whole Foods Market®.
Transparency, Accountability & Responsibility
Our meat buyers seek out farmers and ranchers who raise animals with care, responsibility and respect in their aim for high quality, great-tasting meat.
Our farmer and rancher partners are dedicated to meeting our strict standards, meaning no animal byproducts in the animal's feed, no added hormones*, no growth-enhancing drugs and no antibiotics, ever.
*Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork, poultry, goats, veal and bison.
Plus, all beef, chicken, pork and turkey in our fresh meat cases must come from producers who have achieved certification to Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating. What does this mean for the ranchers and farmers?
Third-party audits of each farm every 15 months
There are about 100 species-specific standards that must be met just for a Step 1 rating.
Beyond Step 1, each successive Step requires more animal-centered practices.
The progressive nature of the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating program encourages producers to evolve their practices to attain higher Step ratings.
Take a look at this recent blog post opens in a new tab where our global animal welfare coordinator explains how five of Whole Foods Market’s suppliers put the animals first.
Want to meet more of the farmers and ranchers we work with? Dig deeper at wholefoodsmarket.com/animalwelfare opens in a new tab.
Great-Tasting Meat
Thanks to dedicated farmers and ranchers, we can offer the tastiest, most responsibly raised selection of meat and poultry around.
Now visit our meat counter and get cooking! Here are a few mouthwateringly delicious recipes for inspiration.
What’s the best cut you’ve had from our meat counter and how did you prepare it?
