Miami, Florida (September 10, 2009) — Whole Foods Market, the leading natural and organic foods supermarket, offers a new line of certified kosher chicken and turkey that is now available at select U.S. locations just in time for the Jewish High Holy Days. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer our customers a great kosher product, especially with Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur around the corner,” said Scott Chansky, regional meat coordinator for Whole Foods Market. “Superior quality is a fundamental element of a kosher product and the quality of our chicken and turkey products are second-to-none”
The products are provided by Kosher Valley™, a new certified kosher brand from Hain Celestial Group (Hain Pure Protein), and are certified by Rabbi Yechiel Babad and the Orthodox Union. Kosher Valley’s antibiotic-free kosher line is one of the first of its kind in the United States. According to Kosher Valley, many steps in kosher poultry processing are still performed by hand. Specially trained rabbinical inspectors check each bird ensuring that it is of the highest quality and processed in accordance with the kosher standards of cleanliness, purity and wholesomeness. All Kosher Valley poultry is hand-salted, inside and out, to remove blood since meat with blood in it is considered non-kosher. After salting, each bird is soaked three times in icy water to thoroughly cleanse the bird and remove the salt.
Like all meat sold at Whole Foods Market, the new Kosher Valley products must meet the Company’s strict animal welfare standards which require that all poultry offered in its stores comes from animals that are raised on a vegetarian diet with no antibiotics or added hormones.* Kosher Valley poultry products now available at all 16 Florida Whole Foods Market locations include fresh whole young turkeys, ground turkey, fresh chicken, and tray packs of both turkey and chicken.
To locate a Whole Foods Market near you, please visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com. *Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising poultry.
