Applegate, the nation’s leading natural and organic meat brand, has officially unveiled a mission to transition all of its award-winning beef hot dogs to beef raised on verified regenerative grasslands by the end of 2025. According to certain reports, the company will bring this mission to life across its entire beef hot dog portfolio, contributing, in total, to the regeneration of more than six million acres in grasslands. Such a target, if achieved, should increase the current regenerative acreage of Applegate suppliers by more than 2,200%. However, before it gets there, the company will be working alongside approximately 250 beef farmers to implement a regenerative standard with third-party verification through certifiers, such as Land to Market. Establishing the given standard will further empower Applegate to source larger quantities of certified organically-raised beef, which might be needed to supply the brand’s expansive beef hot dog portfolio. Apart from this initiative, Applegate has also announced its decision to collaborate with umbrella frameworks such as GRASS (Generalized Regenerative Agriculture Sourcing Specification) and the Textile Exchange Regenerative Outcomes Framework. Here, it will basically ensure that all standards are complimentary of industry-accepted metrics for ecological outcomes and animal welfare.
“Using Applegate Humanely Raised* – our practices which ensure animals are 100% grass-fed or raised on vegetarian feed, provided environmental enrichments to promote natural behaviors and well-being, and provided ample space to grow – as our foundation, we are expanding our program as we consider the symbiotic relationship of plants and animals and the positive impact these regenerative practices have on the land. We have long believed that a holistic approach to agriculture results in a better food system. Now is the time to scale,” said Joseph O’Connor, President of Applegate.
Fair enough, the mission in question isn’t the first time Applegate has tried to preach sustainable agriculture. You see, back in 2021, the company had launched a the first nationally available hot dog, DO GOOD DOG, made with beef that was raised on verified regenerative U.S. grasslands. Owing to its DO GOOD DOG, Applegate would help transition 260,000 acres of grassland to regenerative. This new mission also follows up on the release of Applegate’s inaugural Mission Report, a comprehensive evaluation of the company’s impact on people, animals and the planet, as well as deep insights into all of the programs that it is currently running to support its mission of ‘Changing The Meat We Eat®.”
“For 37 years, Applegate has led the charge for higher standards* for animal agriculture, from the way we care for our animals to how we work to preserve the land and planet they live on,” said O’Connor. “As pioneers of the movements surrounding organic and Applegate Humanely Raised* meat and animals that are raised with no antibiotics ever, we saw a larger opportunity for regeneratively sourced meat. By working to shift our entire beef supply chain, consumers can support regenerative practices without having to forgo our organic and natural hot dogs they already love.”
Founded in 1982, Applegate has risen up by producing high-quality, natural, and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products etc. All these products are notably made with zero GMO content. Instilling further credibility into them is Applegate’s pledge to only source from farms where animals are 100% grass-fed or raised on vegetarian feed, provided environmental enrichments to promote natural behaviors and well-being, as well as where they are not given any antibiotics or artificial growth promotants.
