Sustainable Food News: Burger chain first U.S. restaurant group to win Certified Humane certification

By Sustainable Food News

Animal Welfare group Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) said Connecticut – based Plan B Burger Bar is the first U.S. restaurant group to obtain the HFAC Certified Humane Raised & Handled label.

The Certified Humane label tells consumers that meat, poultry, egg, or dairy products have been produced according to HFAC’s standards for humane farm animal treatment, which include animals receiving a diet without antibiotics or hormones and raised with shelter, resting areas, and space sufficient to support natural behavior.

“We noticed that there were a lot of confusing labels that stated things like ‘natural certified beef or ‘independently certified humane,’ and we wanted to educate the consumer to the fact that there are set standards, and a defined protocol in place that dictates the rights to say ‘Certified Humane’ and that this is not just clever marketing.” said Lena DiGenti, brand strategist for Plan B Burger Bar. “We can all take a stand and keep food fresh, healthy, and profitable whi8le supporting traditional farming practices that are dedicated to improving the welfare of farm animals from birth to slaughter.”

Plan B Burger Bar opened in July 2006 and has three locations in the state. The company does not use “chemically processed, frozen, prepackaged beef,” and has butchers on staff that grind whole chuck daily, in house using Certified Humane Meyer Natural Angus Beef.

“We see the Certified Humane label as proof of our commitment to responsible business practices and it’s the perfect complement to our certified natural beef program, “ said Founder and CEO Al Gamble. “In a world where beef is often mass produced, chemically processed, prepackaged, and frozen, our hamburgers are made from fresh, never frozen, ‘Certified Humane’ Meyer Natural Angus Beef. We only grind whole chucks to our strict specifications daily. Thi8s way we have total control over the quality and freshness of every burger, and that’s the way it should be.”