Applegate Kicks Off National Hot Dog Month with Animal Welfare Certified Franks

The First Global Animal Partnership Certified Hot Dogs in National Distribution

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Jul 02, 2019, 08:58 ET

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., July 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- July is National Hot Dog Month and with Americans set to down 150 million of them on Independence Day alone, Applegate®, the producer of the nation's leading natural and organic meat brand, announced that its iconic The Cleaner Wiener™ hot dogs will carry a premier mark of higher animal welfare standards: the Global Animal Partnership (GAP) seal.

Global Animal Partnership (GAP) seal featured on Applegate Organics® The Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dog™ at retailers nationwide. Also appearing on other hot dog varieties, such as The Great Organic Uncured Turkey Hot Dog™, The Great Organic Chicken Hot Dog™ and the Applegate Naturals® Natural Uncured Turkey Hot Dog.

"Although all of our food – from bacon to burgers and yes, hot dogs – is sourced from farms third-party certified for higher animal welfare, this is the first time consumers will see the GAP seal on our hot dogs in grocery stores nationwide," said Nicole Glenn, Applegate vice president of marketing. "With more and more people questioning where their meat comes from and how it's raised, carrying the GAP certification helps us bring full transparency and confidence about our commitment to animal welfare right on pack."

The GAP logo appears on The Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dog™ at Whole Foods Market and on The Great Organic Uncured Turkey Hot Dog™, The Great Organic Chicken Hot Dog™ and the Applegate Naturals® Natural Uncured Turkey Hot Dog at retailers nationwide. Consumers can find stores carrying these certified hot dogs on the Applegate website product locator.

"Global Animal Partnership (GAP) has partnered with Applegate for many years behind the scenes to ensure high animal welfare standards, and we're thrilled that they decided to put their dedication to those standards on the front of the package," said Anne Malleau, GAP executive director. "These products have earned the GAP Animal Welfare Certified label, which means that 100+ farm animal welfare standards were met and audited on every farm supplying these ingredients. GAP applauds Applegate's continued efforts to advocate for meaningful animal welfare claims, helping raise awareness and creating sustainable change for animals."

In addition to the GAP certification, Applegate® hot dogs are sourced from farms that never use antibiotics and are made with clean and simple ingredients – nothing artificial and no chemical nitrites or nitrates added.

ABOUT APPLEGATE
Founded in 1987, Applegate produces high-quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products. Our products are made without GMO ingredients, and we source from farms where animals are treated with care and respect and are allowed to grow at their natural rate, all part of our mission – Changing The Meat We Eat®. Natural can mean many things, but to Applegate natural means our food is:

From animals raised Applegate humanely without antibiotics, hormones or growth promotants
From animals fed a vegetarian or pasture-centered diet (our beef is 100 percent grass-fed)
Free of added chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates
Free of artificial ingredients or preservatives

Applegate became a stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods in July 2015. For more information about our products, visit www.applegate.com or talk with us on www.facebook.com/applegate or twitter.com/Applegate.

About Global Animal Partnership (GAP)

Global Animal Partnership is one of the largest animal welfare standards and labeling organizations in North America. Established in 2008, GAP impacts the welfare of over 416MM animals each year through third-party certification of more than 3,800 farms, supplying products to over 5,000 outlets. GAP believes that meaningful label claims, validated by third-party audits on every farm, are key to influencing the industry, raising consumer expectations, and creating long-lasting change for animals.

SOURCE Applegate