TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — Upside Foods, a cultivated meat company, and the Institute for Justice (IJ) filed a lawsuit challenging a recent Florida law prohibiting the sale of cultivated meat.
Information from the IJ said the new state law is unconstitutional because it violates provisions prohibiting protectionist measures designed to favor in-state businesses at the expense of out-of-state competitors.
“If some Floridians don’t like the idea of eating cultivated chicken, there’s a simple solution: Don’t eat it,” said Paul Sherman, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice. “The government has no right to tell consumers who want to try cultivated meat that they’re not allowed to.”
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
“A major purpose for enacting the Constitution was to prevent exactly this kind of economic protectionism, ensuring that all Americans can benefit from a free and open national market,” said Suranhan Sen, an attorney for IJ. “Florida cannot ban products that are lawful to sell throughout the rest of the country simply to protect in-state businesses from honest competition.”
Upside Foods received label approval from the USDA in June 2023 for its products.
However, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill back in May in Florida to ban the sale of cultivated meat. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a similar law on May 7.
“Our administration will continue to focus on investing in our local farmers and ranchers, and we will save our beef,” DeSantis said in May.
During June 2024, Republican lawmakers also co-sponsored the REAL Meat Act of 2024 that would ban the use of federal funds in various areas related to cultured meat.
Upside Foods launched under the name Memphis Meats in 2015.
The company raised $400 million in a Series C funding round during spring 2022, bringing its valuation to more than $1 billion. It’s raised $608 million in total funding from investors, including Cargill, Tyson Foods and Givaudan.
SONORA, CALIF. — Diestel Family Ranch announced on July 16 it became the first turkey producer to achieve Regenified certification. Regenified’s seal is the first third-party regenerative program to be recognized and accepted by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) for single and multi-ingredient products, according to the company.
To achieve certification, Diestel met Regenified’s 6-3-4 Standards — named for six principles of soil health, three rules of adaptive stewardship and four ecosystem processes.
“For 75 years, my family has committed to more holistic agriculture practices that not only support the best habitat for turkeys raised on our farms but also consider the impact on the land used,” said Heidi Diestel, fourth-generation farmer at Diestel Family Ranch. “Regenified certification is an important recognition of what has always differentiated Diestel turkeys from mass-produced poultry products. We lead with the strictest animal welfare and environmental standards in the market to produce the leanest, cleanest and most delicious birds.”
Founded in 1949 by Jack Diestel, the Diestel Family Ranch has prioritized the health of its birds and thoughtful farming practices from the start. By earning the Regenified certification, the family farm strives to set the bar high and lead the industry forward.
Regenified’s certification process will help Diestel track its progress in advancing regenerative principles to improve biodiversity, soil health, water quality and nutrient density.
Regenerating the soil at Diestel starts by feeding the birds corn grown by local farmers. Earlier this spring, Diestel sourced 650 tonnes of Certified Regenified corn. By 2035, the farm looks to replace half of its feed with Certified Regenified corn.
To mimic turkeys’ natural habitat, Diestel has set out to create a shaded environment that replicates trees in a forest. All birds on the property are given access to open land that includes over two miles of evergreen, perennial shrubs, grasses and flowering trees. The plants were selected to promote biodiversity, attracting beneficial insects, improving water quality and creating a diverse landscape along with ecosystem function.
Adding to a healthy, diverse environment, Diestel turns its organic waste into valuable, nutrient-dense compost. The farm diverts 2,117 tonnes of waste annually from landfills and produces roughly 6,350 tonnes of compost for local use.
As for the birds’ health, Diestel uses probiotics over traditional chemicals to support a healthy ecosystem on the farm and beyond.
CHICAGO — McDonald’s Corp. announced the promotion of Tiffanie Boyd to executive vice president and global chief people officer, effective Aug. 19. Boyd will succeed Heidi Capozzi, who has decided to leave the company at the end of the month for a new opportunity.
In her new role, Boyd will oversee the company’s human resources operations around the world, including talent management, talent acquisition, total rewards, learning and development, DEI, culture, and organization effectiveness.
“Tiffanie is an exceptional HR leader, who understands that great people are the bedrock of the McDonald’s business,” said Chris Kempczinski, chairman and chief executive officer of McDonald’s. “Since she joined the company a few years ago, Tiffanie has quickly established herself as a collaborative, values-driven leader who has championed several transformational programs like our People Brand Standards and talent development initiatives that have turned our US business into a role model within the system.”
Over the course of her career, Boyd has led teams in the United States, Canada and around the world to elevate talent management and employee development. She joined McDonald’s in 2021, leading the development of the McOpCo Total Reward strategy, changes in McDonald’s talent strategy and improvements to its career planning and development philosophy. Previously, Boyd spent over two decades working with General Mills in various capacities, overseeing talent initiatives, organization design, culture change and employee engagement. She began her career as a consultant at Hewitt Associates.
Currently, Boyd serves on the board of Thrive Scholars, which helps students of color from low-income backgrounds attend top colleges and pursue meaningful careers.
Boyd graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in finance and earned an MBA in organization behavior from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
“At McDonald’s, we’ve built our people strategy on a simple idea: The employee experience fuels the customer experience,” Boyd said. “There is already great work underway, and we are seeing the impact of a focus on employee experience. I look forward to partnering with our teams across segments, markets and functions to power a culture of care so robust that our people and business thrive like never before.”
DALLAS — Russell F. Coleman has been named executive vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary and government affairs for Dean Foods Co., effective Aug. 1.
Russell F. Coleman, new executive vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary and government affairs for Dean Foods
Coleman joins Dean Foods from Meadows Collier law firm, where he was a partner. Before Meadows Collier, he was general counsel of national media company Belo Corp.
“Russ’ extensive general counsel experience as a leader in a publicly traded company, along with his significant background in leadership development, business transactions and governance and securities matters, make him an ideal fit for Dean Foods as we continue to focus on our growth,” said Gregg Tanner, CEO of Dean Foods. “He is a well-respected and proven leader and I’m excited to welcome him to our organization.”
The line between foodservice and home cooking continues to blur thanks to social media making restaurant dishes viral sensations. These influencers make chef-inspired meals look easy to prepare in a home kitchen, but the reality is that for many home cooks, attempts to recreate them become disastrous, especially when trying to make traditional dishes from around the world. This is where culinary scientists enter the picture, as they try to simplify authenticity while creating craveability.
Assistance with culinary science
A recurring message at the 2024 RCA Conference hosted by the Research Chefs Association at the Marriott Boston Quincy on March 5-7 in Quincy, Mass., was there are no rules when it comes to food innovation using Culinology. This is the discipline of blending culinary arts with the science of food. Think frozen sushi and lasagna soup.
For Bob Evans Farms, New Albany, Ohio, breaking the rules comes in the form of the company’s new Wanderlish line of fully cooked refrigerated entrees. Described as a “tapestry of tastes,” Wanderlish comes in three varieties. The Middle Eastern-inspired Chicken Shawarma includes turmeric rice pilaf and cucumber yogurt sauce, while the South African-inspired Peri Peri Chicken has jollof rice and herbed yogurt sauce. The Black Garlic Chicken draws inspiration from Thailand and contains coconut rice and tamarind sauce.
“Thoughtful explorers are a valuable consumer to bring to the heat-and-eat category,” said Andy Glick, culinary scientist at Bob Evans Farms. “They are younger, have high incomes and are willing to pay for quality. We are reinvigorating the home meal replacement category with affordable, yet exciting meals to discover and explore.”
This supports the 2024 RCA Conference’s theme of “Revolutionizing food, reimagining innovation.” Andrew Hunter, a research and development chef based in Los Angeles explained to attendees that umami and kokumi is where the action is in food innovation.
Umami is the fifth basic taste. Bitter, salty, sour and sweet are the other four. Umami is said to add “craveability” to a dish. Kokumi, on the other hand, enhances that craveability.
“We now know that kokumi is not the sixth taste,” said Aaron Andrews, associate corporate chef, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition, Chicago. “Kokumi does not have any flavor. It is a flavor modifier. It increases the intensity of the basic tastes, as well as certain flavors, namely pungent ones, such as garlic, onion and chili peppers.”
Chicken al Pastor is on the menu again at Chipotle Mexican Grill. It is the fastest item to ever come back to Chipotle. (Source: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.)
Adding craveability
Craveability is the essence of many of the growing number of worldly flavors being incorporated into meat- and poultry-containing products. The National Restaurant Association’s 2024 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast has “world soups and stews” as the number-one flavor trend going forward.
Think birria, a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. Birria features beef, chicken, goat, lamb or mutton, which is marinated in adobo, then cooked and served in broth.
Another example is tom kha. This is a soup made with a coconut milk-based curry and featuring duck or chicken and has its origins in Thailand.
Regional Asian foods are driving a lot of innovation. While upscale ramen remains a popular dish, it is getting competition from other noodle dishes such as laksa. It, too, is prepared with coconut milk and includes spices, thick rice noodles and toppings such as chicken or shrimp.
Second and third on NRA’s trends forecast is global chicken wings and international barbecue.
“This year’s trends are dominated by consumer craving for comfort and community with a healthy side of curiosity influenced by social media,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at NRA. “Old favorites like barbecue are taking on new flavors and social sharing is influencing the spread of regional fares like Nashville hot. Even the chicken competition is going global on local menus.”
Back by popular demand, fast-casual concept Chipotle Mexican Grill has Chicken al Pastor once again on its menus. It’s described as “a craveable protein featuring bold flavors,” which is prepared fresh daily in small batches. Chicken al Pastor is made with fresh chicken hot off the grill, a rich marinade of seared morita peppers and ground achiote, balanced with a splash of pineapple for the right amount of heat, finished with fresh lime and hand-chopped cilantro.
“About one in five transactions included Chicken al Pastor when it was featured on our menu last year,” said Chris Brandt, chief brand officer at Chipotle. “Given the performance and the fans wanting its return so enthusiastically, we are thrilled to make this the fastest item to ever come back to Chipotle.”
What starts in foodservice usually finds its way into retail. Ready-meal chicken manufacturers may want to consider adding an al pastor option. Chipotle serves it as a bowl meal with rice, black beans, tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, cheese and guacamole.
“The rich flavor of our Chicken al Pastor shines in the fan favorite bowl,” said Nevielle Panthaky, vice president of culinary. “Each ingredient layers for the perfectly balanced bite with the right level of sweetness, acidity and heat.”
It’s all about the craveability, and Carl’s Jr. is on board with its two new menu items. The Spicy Breakfast Burger features a charbroiled all-beef patty, topped with jalapeno coins, crispy bacon, an egg, pepperjack cheese, hash rounds and ketchup on a seeded bun. The Spicy Western Bacon Cheeseburger features a charbroiled angus patty, topped with jalapeno coins, two strips of bacon, melted pepperjack cheese, crispy onion rings and tangy barbecue sauce on a seeded bun.
“The [new items] mark the first product launches in our Crave campaign, focused on satiating the craveable flavors that our guests desire,” said Anthony Nguyen, vice president of brand marketing at Carl’s Jr. “The campaign brings our big, bold, unique California-inspired flavors and audacious brand personality to life, and we’re excited to see more spins on classics like this going forward.”
A&W Canada now offers the Spicy Piri-Piri Buddy Burger as an LTO. Also known as peri peri, this seasoning is based on the piri piri pepper, with the word “piri” translating to hot. With its origins in Portugal, piri piri sauce contains the namesake peppers along with citrus peel, onion, pepper, salt, lemon juice, bay leaves, paprika, pimiento, basil, oregano and tarragon.
“Our take on a spicy piri piri sauce that is zesty, spicy and addictive is designed to satisfy more of our guests’ cravings for spice and to suit their dietary preferences,” said Karan Suri, director of menu development at A&W Canada.
Heat with sweet remains a popular way to add craveability to meat and poultry. Smashburger knows that and is rolling out the Mango Habanero Crispy Chicken Sandwich. The limited-time offering features a sweet and spicy tropical-inspired sauce.
Shelf-stable baby and toddler food brand Serenity Kids is inspired by international dishes that celebrate multiculturalism and expand the palates of little ones. (Source: Serenity Kids)
Bringing it to retail
Formulators are working hard to deliver authenticity in retail packaged foods. One approach is via premium frozen foods.
Consumers in the frozen aisle are searching increasingly for global flavors, according to the first “Future of Frozen Food 2024” report from Conagra Brands Inc., Chicago. Asian-inspired products have gained a particularly strong foothold among shoppers and spicy flavors also experienced a large expansion due to their frequent inclusion in global cuisines.
“This area of global cuisine makes a lot of sense, because cooking international foods can be super intimidating and challenging,” said Bob Nolan, senior vice president of demand science at Conagra. “You may not have the ingredients in your pantry at home, and you may not have the skill. So frozen foods are a way for you to experiment with those cuisines in a safe environment where you know the food’s going to taste great and you can experience it.”
This trend toward worldly, spicier flavors signifies a notable shift in consumer preferences, according to the culinary experts at Affinity Group, Charlotte, NC. They urge industry professionals to embrace the increasing demand for spicy flavors as an opportunity for innovation and collaboration in order to foster growth in the coming year.
“Spicy foods are super trendy right now,” said Bridget McCall, vice president of culinary and innovation at Affinity Group. “We’re seeing a growing interest in exploring the complexity of heat beyond just the intensity. It’s about understanding and appreciating the nuanced flavors that different spices bring to the table.”
She emphasized that this trend underscores a broader culinary narrative where adventurous eaters are eager to explore diverse, vibrant flavors from around the globe. Balancing the heat while enhancing and diversifying flavor profiles is key to successfully navigating this trend. Understanding how to pair the fruity notes of a habanero pepper with something as rich as dark chocolate can transform a dish into an unforgettable experience.
Incorporating spicy elements into prepared meat and poultry dishes requires finesse and a deep understanding of how different spices interact with other ingredients. This is where umami and kokumi come into play.
“It’s not about adding heat for the sake of heat,” said Rebecca Gruwell, corporate chef at Affinity Group. “It’s about creating a balanced dish where the spice enhances, rather than overwhelms, the overall flavor.”
While heat and spiciness are attributes most adults crave, historically these flavor sensations have been avoided by kids’ food formulators. Even that is changing.
Shelf-stable baby and toddler food brand Serenity Kids, Austin, Texas, is launching a new range of nutrient-rich meat and vegetable pouches inspired by international culinary dishes to celebrate multiculturalism and expand the palates of little ones.
The new World Explorers line includes six varieties: Free Range Chicken Coconut Curry, Free Range Chicken Mexican Stew, Free Range Chicken Tikka Masala, Grass Fed Beef Chimichurri, Grass Fed Beef Kebab and Wild Caught Salmon Teriyaki.
“Our new World Explorers collection allows little ones to go on a global journey of flavors in a fun, nutritious and convenient way,” said Serenity Carr, co-founder and chief executive officer of Serenity Kids. “Starting solids is an exciting time for babies to explore textures and flavors. The new World Explorers line honors beloved international recipes and allows little ones to enjoy a broad range of tastes to help expand their palates during this critical flavor window time. We also believe that now it’s more important than ever to celebrate America’s multicultural heritage.”
The “flavor window” is between four and 18 months old, according to Carr. It’s when babies are developing their flavor preferences for life. Early exposure to different flavors and textures can prevent picky eating and set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating. She also believes in the power of meat as a first food for little ones, as it has higher micronutrients essential for babies’ development, is easily digestible and contains the most bioavailable fat and protein.
Guy Fieri is helping babies’ parents explore worldly flavors with his new Flavortown Sauces line. He suggests lathering these condiments on brisket sandwiches, ribs, burgers, chicken, salmon or shrimp kebabs. Varieties include Top Secret Sauce, which is a creamy aioli with “dynamite sparks of chili powder, subtle mustard and garlic,” said Fieri. The Kickin’ Chipotle Sauce brings the heat with a combination of smoky chipotle, a side kick of chili and a roundhouse of spices that builds mouthwatering heat bite after bite.
It’s all about creating craveability using authentic flavors from around the world.
ST. LOUIS — Post Holdings Inc. announced leadership changes within the company, specifically in its refrigerated retail businesses, on June 3.
Current executive vice president and chief financial officer of refrigerated retail, Mike McCoy, will step into his new role as president and chief executive officer of Post refrigerated retail on Oct. 1.
McCoy joined Post in 2018 as executive vice president and chief administrative officer when Post acquired Bob Evans Farms. Before McCoy’s tenure with the company, he was in advisory positions with Ernst & Young and also Deloitte. He began working with Post as a client and later transitioned to vice president of internal audit in 2014 for Post.
McCoy will succeed Mark Delahanty, who will transition to an advisory role on Dec. 1 and retire on May 31, 2025.
Delahanty joined Post Holdings in 2016 after the company acquired MOM Brands, where he was senior vice president, general manager. After the acquisition, he was named chief operating officer of the newly created Post Consumer Brands from 2018 to 2019. Prior to joining the company, Delahanty was with Sealy and General Mills in various marketing positions.
“Mark’s leadership has significantly contributed to Post’s success through the years, first integrating our cereal businesses and then leading our refrigerated retail business,” said Robert Vitale, president and CEO of Post. “We wish Mark well in his upcoming retirement and are excited to transition leadership of the business to Mike. Mike has grown his career through a variety of critical business areas within Post and will bring valuable leadership experience and enthusiasm to refrigerated retail.”
Additionally, Adam Gonsiorowski, current vice president of finance of Bob Evans Farms, will assume the role of chief financial officer on Oct. 1. He will report to McCoy.
Gonsiorowski joined Post as director of financial reporting in January 2014.
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Whole Foods Market, a business unit of Amazon Inc., was the subject of a class action lawsuit on Aug. 23 filed by three consumers and Farm Forward. The lawsuit claims the company is falsely marketing antibiotic-free beef items.
The plaintiffs claim that recent testing found beef at Whole Foods that contained antibiotics and other pharmaceutical residue. In the last two years, Farm Forward said it tested samples of meat purchased at six Whole Foods locations in San Francisco, Virginia, Chicago, and Salt Lake City.
“The presence of this residue demonstrates the cattle were treated with antibiotics or other pharmaceuticals while being raised,” the lawsuit stated.
The complaint, filed in US District Court in Santa Ana, Calif., noted that the Whole Foods slogan of ‘No Antibiotics, Ever’ has been used to market beef products starting in 2002.
An example presented in the lawsuit was Whole Foods charging $31.99 per lb. for beef tenderloin. Plaintiffs claimed that other retailers charged $24.99 per lb. for the same cut of beef, making it a 28% markup with its antibiotic-free labeling.
According to the complaint, the retailer markets at least 40 beef items as antibiotic-free.
“Whole Foods markets its beef with the slogan, ‘No Antibiotics, Ever’ and reinforces this promotional message that its beef is antibiotic-free with other similar representations at retail stores, in online marketing, and on product packaging,” the complaint said.
The plaintiffs want Whole Foods to change its beef marketing and also pay undetermined punitive damages to consumers who overpaid.
Whole Foods did not immediately respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.
ENID, O.K. — Tyson Foods Inc. confirmed the company is expanding its operations in Enid, Oklahoma, by reopening a former AdvancePierre facility.
Tyson said that 14 new jobs will be created when the plant restarts with the potential to add more jobs when the plant is at full production.
“As part of the company’s ongoing efforts to meet growing demand for its products and maximize efficiencies, the Tyson Foods facility on Pine Street in Enid, Oklahoma, is undergoing improvements,” said Tyson spokesman Derek Burleson.
The reopened plant will produce ingredients for the company’s prepared foods division.
Previously the plant was closed in April 2017 and 41 workers moved to another AdvancePierre facility across town. Later that month, Tyson announced that it was acquiring AdvancePierre for $4.3 billion.
Tyson currently employs 1,451 people at its Enid plants and 3,500 in Oklahoma.
“The infrastructure, location and availability of qualified workforce make the facility ideal for this project,” Burleson said of Enid.
DALLAS — During the Annual Meat Conference, companies and brands readied their protein trend information for 2023 while showing off their latest products.
Cargill’s North American protein business, a subsidiary of Cargill Inc., detailed the information it was seeing in the market and explained its strategy moving forward given the current protein landscape.
The first area Cargill discussed was value-added protein. Cargill has seen growth in that sector as customers have continued to demand value-added meat products in the last few years.
Tom Windish, president of the primary business division at Cargill Protein, said demographics are changing with Gen Z, millennials and multicultural consumers over-indexing on value-added meats.
“As our population changes, that demand continues to grow,” Windish said.
Scott Vinson, chief of customer experience, acknowledged from the company’s data that a value-added product doesn’t always have to be fully prepared, seasoned or marinated. It can also include a product in a different form, including thinly sliced, diced or lean meat.
According to Cargill’s trend information, 73% of consumers want meals ready in 30 minutes or less. The leaders at Cargill understand that it’s about finding a balance between people who need protein fast and those who still want to cook at home.
“I think you can do both if you give it to them in a form that makes it easier for them to prepare,” Vinson said. “Back-to-work mandates are in part driving this needs-to-be-easy, needs-to-be-fast trend. We saw it before the pandemic, but now demand has really skyrocketed, and we’re seeing it come through in a big way.”
To track all these changes in the protein landscape, Cargill uses its experts to do proprietary research and works with data providers to see how the picture is constantly changing.
“It’s a consistent effort to make sure that we’re staying on top of these trends,” Windish said. “At the end of the day, our customer success is our success, and we have to keep a pulse on what’s the latest and greatest.”
Cargill continues to look at the role frozen beef plays as a growing trend among consumers. After lockdowns early on in the pandemic with little meat available, people are now prepared with freezers for any future scenario.
Cargill encourages retailers to work together with them to provide crucial digital content, product imagery and complimentary items that need to go into their shopping baskets to finish recipes.
“We think it’s really important to have your digital backbone and all this information readily available to the consumer,” Windish said.
Cargill also continues to effectively utilize labels and information consumers use when making purchasing decisions. The company recently launched a Pure Range Angus program that offers a hormone-free option to appeal to certain customers.
“We are addressing consumer needs in response to the message the marketplace is sending us,” Windish said.
Like other major meat companies, greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions continue to be part of a holistic strategy. Cargill previously committed to reducing GHG across its North American beef supply chain by 30% by 2030.
Although beef was a significant driver of the conversation at the Meat Conference, Windish mentioned a new proprietary ground turkey product under the Shady Brook Farms label that Cargill recently launched in Arizona with Kroger and in New Mexico with Walmart. The new product offers a juicier and more desirable product for consumers.
Being a multinational corporation, Cargill remains in touch with all aspects of protein including seafood. In the last year, Cargill invested a minority stake in Multiexport Foods S.A., a Chilean salmon farming operation that sells products under the Multi X, Arka and Latitude 45 brands.
CHICAGO — McDonald’s Corp. announced on Feb. 6 that it reached its goal of sourcing 100% cage-free eggs in the United States two years ahead of the original goal.
The quick-service restaurant first made the pledge to move to cage-free eggs in 2015.
“Our journey to move to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs in the US was a huge undertaking — made uniquely possible by our owner/operators, Cargill and their egg producers, and our supply chain working together as one team,” said Bob Stewart, senior vice president of North America and chief supply chain officer for McDonald’s. “I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together and the positive impact we will continue to make on the path toward a more sustainable future.”
McDonald’s explained that each egg farm supply in the United States would create an environment that allows birds freedom to express their natural behaviors and include enrichments such as perches, scratch areas, and nests. Each egg farm would also have an attending veterinarian to ensure high care for the birds.
Along with Cargill, McDonald’s will also rely on its partners like fourth-generation family business Forsman Farms based in Minnesota.
“As a family, we sat down and said, ‘Are we going to be able to do it?’” said Peter Forsman, owner of Forsman Farms. “We had zero cage-free systems, and we knew this was going to be a big challenge.” As US-based egg producers actioned the changes necessary to qualify as cage-free, McDonald’s and Cargill were there in lockstep to support through the transition.”
McDonald’s also worked with animal welfare experts and academics to help egg producers build and renovate farms to use new technology.
Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, a fourth-generation family business in Michigan, has operated since 1958 and has been supplying Cargill for the McDonald’s system for decades.
“I really can’t say enough about our partnership with Cargill and McDonald’s. They understand the difficulties that we have,” said Herb Herbruck, president of Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch. “They want to hear about our challenges, and they want to help us through them.”
