Walmart and Sustainable Beef LLC revealed that the hypermarket has signed an agreement to acquire a minority stake in the rancher-owned, Nebraska-based company. This investment is part of Walmart’s strategic partnership to source angus beef from the company’s new beef processing facility.
The investment will help Sustainable Beef open its new facility, which is expected to be completed by 2024, creating over 800 jobs in the process.
“At Walmart, we are dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable beef to our customers, and an investment in Sustainable Beef LLC will give us even more access to these products,” said Tyler Lehr, senior vice president of merchandising for deli services, meat, and seafood for Walmart U.S., in a statement. “We know Sustainable Beef LLC has a responsible approach to beef processing, one that includes creating long-term growth for cattle ranchers and family farmers. This investment provides greater visibility into the beef supply chain and complements Walmart’s regeneration commitment to improve grazing management.”
Sustainable Beef will work with cattle feeders and ranchers to better understand and remediate the pressure points in the supply chain.
Animal care at the facilities will be sustainable and humane by following the Five Freedoms of animal welfare: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury, and disease; freedom to express normal and natural behavior; and freedom from fear and distress. Additionally, the facility will feature a consistent approach to antibiotic use as detailed by Walmart’s Position on Antibiotics in Animals.
“We set out on a journey two years ago to create a new beef processing plant to add some capacity to the industry and provide an opportunity for producers to integrate their business of raising quality cattle with the beef processing portion of the industry and do it in a sustainable manner, said David Briggs, CEO of Sustainable Beef, in a statement. “During this journey we found that Sustainable Beef and Walmart aligned on continuing to improve how we care for our animals and crops and provide consumers the positive experience of enjoying quality beef.”
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