Foster Farms launched a line of free-range chicken Thursday, produced from birds that have access to the outdoors. The Livingston-based company, the top-selling poultry brand in the West, is offering free-range versions of several fresh chicken items. The launch does not involve its turkey, which is produced in Turlock, nor any of the breaded, marinated or otherwise prepared chicken. Shoppers will pay slightly more for the free-range chicken than conventional, said Helen Kurtz, chief marketing officer and senior vice president, in a phone interview Wednesday.
“What we see is that consumers are more and more concerned about animal welfare,” she said. “They really want to know that the chicken they are buying had a happy life.” Read more