Smithfield Foods has announced company-wide health and wellness goals as part of its commitment to sustainability and continuous product improvement. By 2025, the company says it will reduce sodium and sugar by 10 per cent and embrace clean labelling across its portfolio.
Stewart Leeth, Chief Sustainability Officer, said the move was part of the pork processing firm’s programme of constant innovation to meet the “ever-changing needs of consumers who are increasingly seeking out foods with improved nutrition profiles and clean, transparent labelling”.
He added: “We understand the importance of continually evolving our operational practices and sustainability program to support these ends. Our addition of Health and Wellness as a sustainability pillar underscores our ongoing commitment to lead the industry in providing transparency and nourishing, high-quality protein products.”
The company, which employs 40,000 US staff and 14,000 in Europe, says it regularly assesses the ingredients in its products to accommodate varied consumer diets, preferences and lifestyles. While sodium and sugars are integral components of a well-rounded diet that preserve food and enhance flavour, shifts in consumer expectations have inspired a concerted effort to reduce their use.
To reach its goal of a 10 per cent reduction, the company will continue to innovate and adapt its formulas to preserve taste, safety and quality while reducing sodium and sugar content.
This commitment complements existing products in the company’s US portfolio that provide enhanced nutritional benefits and simplified ingredients with no artificial ingredients, no nitrates or added nitrites and no preservatives or monosodium glutamate (MSG), among other benefits.