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our process--& partners

We believe that animals deserve happy, healthy lives and we’re committed to working with farmers who share these values.

beef

Our beef is raised and handled under strict programs that meet and exceed current humane handling requirements by adhering to progressive industry leading practices that promote animal welfare. Our beef suppliers are industry leaders in sustainability planning and development and participate in the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.

chicken

Our cage free chickens are raised in a healthy, reduced stress environment that promotes animal welfare and natural behavior. They thrive on wholesome feed with vitamins, minerals and abundant fresh water.

pork

Our pork is raised under strict programs that meet and exceed current humane handling requirements by providing reduced stress environments that promote animal welfare. They are fed wholesome diets with vitamins and minerals on sustainable farms. Our Pork suppliers are industry leaders in sustainability planning and development and participate in the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and the National Pork Board Sustainable Pork Advisory Council.

turkey

Our turkeys are raised in a reduced stress environment that promotes natural behavior and socialization. They thrive on wholesome feed with vitamins and pure country fresh water on sustainable family farms in the Shenandoah Valley. Our turkey suppliers follow the National Turkey Federation Standards of Conduct and Code of Ethics which focus on the safety of products, animal welfare and the protection of natural resources.

environmental--sustainability

Seeing that it’s the only one we’ve got, keeping the planet healthy is kind of a big deal. We do our best to use our resources as efficiently as possible by reducing energy consumption and water usage. We recycle and prioritize clean energy supplies too. We do all of this to preserve and protect our planet for future generations and families.

moving toward --a clean-energy --future

We’re offsetting our energy use right now, and working toward 100% clean energy.
Dietz & Watson is on the road to a clean energy future. We plan to source all of our energy from renewable resources like solar and wind. In the meantime, we’re doing our part to lower our carbon footprint. Through Constellation, the nation’s leading clean energy company, we’re purchasing Green-e® Energy Certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). The 39 million kilowatt hours of wind and solar energy we’ll receive each year will help reduce our carbon impact by 12,400 metric tons annually, the equivalent of taking 2,700 cars off the road. Plus, our long term commitment to a 15-year supply of renewable energy will help fund the 1.3 gigawatt (INSERT BACK TO THE FUTURE JOKE) Mammoth Solar, one of the largest solar farms in the country.

using hydrogen --fuel cells for --greener facilities

We’re powering the machinery at our distribution centers with new, efficient hydrogen fuel cells.
 We’re on a mission to reduce our environmental impact across the entire lifecycle of our products: from farm to table, and forklift to fork. That’s why we’ve partnered with Plug Power, leaders in fuel cell technology, to convert all the material handling equipment in our distribution center to hydrogen power. And we’re working to do the same at our manufacturing facility in Philadelphia. That means all the forklifts, pallet trucks, and tow tractors that get our products, ingredients, and materials where they need to be contribute absolutely no greenhouse gas emissions in the process. Cutting your carbon forklift-print to zero feels pretty good.

energy--efficiency

Want to talk about energy efficiency? How does cutting 4.65 million kilowatts per year sound? We’re not scientists, but we’re pretty sure that’s at least enough energy to transport a DeLorean back to 1876. How do we do it? We use VFD-driven central refrigeration compressor systems and air compressor capacity controller units. Our central building automation systems control and monitor the efficiency of all refrigeration, HVAC and process equipment. And as a bonus, we have gen-drive hydrogen fuel cell technology in all material-handling equipment in distribution centers. Great Scott!

packaging

Over the last few years, we have initiated a cooperative program with our poultry suppliers to limit packaging and transportation waste. Previously, these products were received in cardboard combo bins on wooden pallets. Now they’re received in reusable plastic bins, which has resulted in a reduction of over 20,000 cardboard combos and wooden pallets received each year! Exciting, right? We’re always looking for new to ways streamline our process to make a positive environmental impact. Call it a not-so-guilty pleasure.

energy &--climate change--responsibility

When we recycle, it means a whole heck of a lot more than just dragging a bin to the curb every week. Our company-wide recycling results in over 4 million pounds of plastic and metal waste per year! But we don’t stop at plastic and metal. Fleet oil is reused for waste oil burning heaters, canola oil is sold to oil converters for biodiesel motor use, our rainwater recovery system is used to cool our refrigeration systems, and our central cooling systems use non-GHG producing refrigerants. On the transportation side, we’ve implemented green refrigeration and cold plate technology in over 75% of our fleet and counting, eliminating diesel-powered refrigeration units from these vehicles.