There was a time when consumers didn’t give much thought to where their food came from or how it was produced. But in an era of information at our fingertips — those days are long gone. Providing background on ingredient sourcing can help attract a larger pool of guests, keeping you on the path to greater restaurant success.
Question for movie lovers: Do you remember the “Mr. DNA” educational video/ride in “Jurassic Park”? It’s a clever movie-within-a-movie that explains the science behind the park’s reptilian attractions. It probably also resulted in a generation of people becoming obsessed with DNA.
Turns out, in the world of foodservice, DNA acts as nature’s license plate, because every animal has a unique, traceable DNA sequence that ultimately impacts quality at the table.
Throughout the industry, there are different ways to ensure the highest caliber experience for patrons, and with PathProven®, a state-of-the-art, farm-to-fork, closed loop technology designed for, and utilized exclusively by Performance, products like beef, pork, and seafood can be traced back to the farm, feedlot, or ocean where they were sourced. The entire process follows stringent standards, including step-by-step inspections, so both you and your guests can trust the path to a fantastic meal.
Heart of the Program
It’s not surprising that the public is interested in the sources of their food, and the larger supply chain, but the sheer numbers are still huge: According to one study, more than 90% of consumers believe knowing about the origins of their food is important! Diners are also likely to wonder if the animal was treated fairly in the process, if the food is sourced naturally, and if it comes from a family farm.
When the Braveheart Black Angus Beef® program was created by Performance, the target was producing the highest percentage black Angus beef in the industry, along with an established link between each animal and each cut of meat — a reality made possible by PathProven. In addition to DNA Traceback®, the country’s first-of-its kind DNA-based traceability system, the cutting-edge process includes standards for feeding, health, and humane treatment, which are all critical to an animal’s genetics in determining quality.
No Place Like Home
To be eligible for Braveheart, cattle must come from no further south than the great heartland state of Kansas. Working with family farms and ranchers steeped in the knowledge of excellent handling practices, Braveheart has a strong relationship all the way back to the Sunflower State source.
Raised right on a 100% U.S. grain-based diet, then finished on Midwestern corn to produce gorgeous marbling, cattle are then transported less than 200 miles for processing to limit their time on the trucks, reducing stress in yielding the most tender, flavorful meat. Along the way, third-party audits are conducted to uphold the highest standards for animal husbandry, humane treatment, and sustainability. The program’s traceable efficiency helps to reduce the overall carbon footprint, as well.
Pledge of Allegiance
The PathProven motto is Assurance & Traceability, and the technology is also used to ensure that Performance pork meets exacting standards for the best possible eating experience. Allegiance® Premium Duroc Cross Pork is 100% all natural, with only the top 20% of hogs available in the U.S. hand-selected for marbling, color, and animal care specifications.
Duroc sires, known for outstanding growth, impressive muscle, and unmatched tenderness; and Yorkshire/Landrace females, characterized by their excellent temperament, are born and raised in the Midwest on a family-owned farm with 24 locations — meaning every product is traceable from start to finish. Allegiance pork is then processed in a state-of-the-art, single-source facility for superior quality.
Smart & Sure
Other exclusive brands also employ PathProven, helping to maintain complete understanding and control of the entire supply chain. FarmSmart®, for example, delivers cleaner label beef, poultry, and pork with attributes such as no use of antibiotics, grass-fed, all natural, and no GMOs, all with the utmost humane treatment possible.
Surety Beef® removes much of the uncertainty of buying commodity beef by assuring that 43 of the most important, auditable attributes of humane animal care and handling are combined with the ability to source-verify a boxed beef program. One such audit is an unannounced internal audit conducted by the quality assurance team, and another is a third-party audit conducted by a U.S.D.A. approved independent company — so you can be sure you’re receiving high-level commodity beef.
In the restaurant world, the path to profitability can be a long and winding road. Performance can help you get there with a PathProven process unlike any else in the industry. And your patrons will appreciate the comfort that complements transparency and traceability — show them the path!
