Concern About Chicken 'Plumping' Spreads Among Experts and Consumers
"Plumping" - or injecting fresh chicken with useless saltwater that costs shoppers their money and health - is giving consumers and experts plenty to squawk about. The issue is gaining steam with a Los Angeles Times article which quotes national experts including the American Heart Association and New York University's Marion Nestle decrying "hidden salt in chicken." Consumers who have learned of this little known practice are turning to social media to express their dissatisfaction. As part of its "Say No To Plumping" consumer awareness campaign, Foster Farms, the West's leading poultry producer, today launched a new online resource (www.saynotoplumping.com) for consumers who are concerned about saltwater-injected or "plumped" fresh chicken and want to learn more. Foster Farms does not inject its fresh poultry products labeled "100% Natural."
Livingston, CA (PRWEB) June 23, 2009 -- "Plumping" - or injecting fresh chicken with useless saltwater that costs shoppers their money and health - is giving consumers and experts plenty to squawk about. The issue is gaining steam with a Los Angeles Times article which quotes national experts including the American Heart Association and New York University's Marion Nestle decrying "hidden salt in chicken." Consumers who have learned of this little known practice are turning to social media to express their dissatisfaction. As part of its "Say No To Plumping" consumer awareness campaign, Foster Farms, the West's leading poultry producer, today launched a new online resource for consumers who are concerned about saltwater-injected or "plumped" fresh chicken and want to learn more. Foster Farms does not inject its fresh poultry products labeled "100% Natural."
The new Web site, www.saynotoplumping.com, features two new feathery characters, Betsy and Martha, who discuss the health and cost implications of plumping, a practice long employed by some major national poultry brands. The site also includes plumping facts and figures, how to detect a plumper, links to health resources and an interactive Plumpinator calculator to help site visitors calculate how much money they waste on saltwater from plumped chicken each year. The web site was designed by San Francisco-based advertising agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.
Plumping results in increased weight, price and sodium content of fresh chicken. Research has shown that 63 percent of West Coast shoppers had no idea that some brands of fresh chicken - even those that carry the 'natural' label - contain up to 15 percent added saltwater by weight, or up to 440 mg of sodium per serving. Once they learned of this practice, 70 percent of consumers felt deceived and 37 percent felt angry. 85.4 percent of these consumers said they would now read nutrition labels and avoid saltwater-injected chicken. 71 percent felt compelled to tell a friend.
"Consumers are paying more attention to the foods they consume and plumping has become a major concern because it is costing them money and can affect their health," said Ira Brill, Foster Farms' Director of Marketing and Advertising. "We created the new web site in response to questions we received from many consumers. The site provides tips on avoiding plumped chicken, health facts, and helps consumers alert their own networks to news about the issue."
The plumping issue is generating widespread consumer buzz. By mid June, the campaign had already generated over 115,000 new conversations on blogs, Twitter and consumer advocate sites and reached several hundred thousand consumers directly via Foster Farms' Say No to Plumping "West Coast tour" featuring the company's famed Foster Imposter advertising characters. The plumped, junk-food loving duo participated in San Francisco's Bay to Breakers footrace and the Los Angeles Marathon where fans met the Imposters in person, posed for photographs and joined the Say No To Plumping cause. The Imposters will make stops at several major West Coast events throughout the summer.
About Foster Farms
Since 1939, families have depended on Foster Farms (www.fosterfarms.com) for premium quality chicken and turkey products. Family-owned and operated, the company continues its legacy of excellence and commitment to quality established by its founders, Max and Verda Foster. Foster Farms specializes in fresh, all natural chicken and turkey products free of preservatives, additives or injected sodium enhancers. Based in California's Central Valley, with ranches also in the Pacific Northwest, the company's fresh chicken and turkey are produced in or near each region served. Foster Farms also produces delicious pre-marinated, ready-to-cook and fully cooked products that meet the quality and convenience needs of today's home cooks, retailers, warehouse clubs and foodservice customers. The company's commitment to excellence, honesty, quality, service, and people is a source of great pride, and, a longtime family tradition.
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