SAINT CLOUD, Minn. – GNP Company, distributor of the Just BARE brand of chicken and owned by The Maschhoffs LLC – the largest family-owned pork production network in North America – plans to expand distribution of its new, certified-organic Just BARE chicken. This new line launched last fall during a six-month market test at SuperTarget. The organic line will be available beginning April 2015 for a limited number of retailers nationwide.  

Just BARE also offers Natural/No Antibiotics-Ever products, an American Humane Certified line that in addition to no antibiotics, offers no added hormones, animal byproducts and unwanted additives for the retail, deli and foodservice segments.

This limited-market expansion includes organic Just BARE boneless, skinless, chicken-breast fillets – the most-often purchased chicken product by US consumers. Plans are in the works to expand its nationwide offering to add a boneless, skinless, chicken-thighs product, which is now available through SuperTarget.

Suggested retail pricing is $9.99 per lb. for organic Just BARE boneless, skinless, chicken-breast fillets. The random-weight packages contain approximately 1 lb. of chicken.

Key attributes of organic Just BARE include:

- USDA-certified organic and verified by Midwest Organic Services Association – the country's second-largest USDA-accredited organic certifier and the largest certifier of livestock and dairies;

- Chickens are raised organically on organic farms no less than two days after hatch; raised in accordance to established animal health and welfare standards; fed certified 100 percent organic feed for their entire lives; never treated with antibiotics; raised in modern barns with open floors and given limited access to the outdoors unless inclement weather, the animal's stage of life, or conditions could jeopardize their health, safety or wellbeing; packaged in translucent, recyclable plastic trays; and sold by the pound versus the fixed-weight pricing of the Natural/No Antibiotics-Ever line of Just BARE.

"Organic Just BARE is designed to help meet consumer demand for more natural/organic choices when it comes to the meat case," said Julie Berling, director of brand advocacy and marketing for Just BARE. "Studies show ever-increasing consumer demand for organic proteins. “The US Organic Food Market Forecast and Opportunities report predicted the organic market to grow by 14 percent in the five-year period ending in 2018. Both natural and organic Just BARE chicken products are for people who are more mindful about what they eat and about the practices behind their food."