UK | Sainsbury’s and Cranswick have announced a ten-year partnership to see all Sainsbury’s British pork, sausages, premium bacon and gammon, and cooked meats supplied through the UK producer.
The British farmers working for Sainsbury’s and Cranswick under the Sainsbury’s Pork Producer Group will make this possible. The partnership will elevate the welfare standards of Sainsbury’s British pork range beyond the industry recommended while still ensuring great value for customers.
Taste the Difference pork will remain the same high-level RSPCA Assured standard that it has been for 17 years. The market-leading move includes direct investment in flexible farrowing accommodation. In this area, pigs are housed during the birthing process, providing extra space for the sows and piglets. The introduction of AI technology will also allow for 24/7 monitoring of the animals and inform improvements to welfare.
With a history of supporting British farmers and investing in British agriculture, it has been estimated Sainsbury’s will invest GBP 50 million to implement these new high standards by 2030, with an additional GBP 11 million being invested by Cranswick to help build the new sheds and housing for the pigs.
The 170 trusted farmers in Sainsbury’s Pork Producer Group will receive a longer-term contract and more financial stability. This will give them the reassurance needed to invest in farms, factories, and procedures, building resilience for the future.
Sainsbury's and Cranswick aim to offer Taste the Difference pork that meets net zero by 2029, a stretching ambition, and Sainsbury’s fresh pork that meets net zero by 2030.
Working closely on environmentally sustainable practices, the new contract will allow for the continuation of current trials into reducing soya (a feed ingredient with a high environmental impact) and focusing on more sustainable cereal feedstocks.
“This ten-year partnership with Cranswick means that we can place a bigger focus on animal welfare, financial security for our farmers and sustainable production of our pork range, all while protecting value for customers,” said Rhian Bartlett, Sainsbury’s Chief Commercial Officer.
“Long-term partnerships are key not only to the success of Sainsbury’s but also to the success and stability of the food industry in which we work. They’re something we continue to prioritise as a business.”
Bartlett said that over the next ten years, Sainsbury’s, in partnership with Cranswick and the farmers in the Sainsbury’s Pork Producer Group, hoped to better prepare themselves for unforeseen knocks such as price shocks and climate concerns.
“There is an ever-evolving relationship between retailers, farmers, and processors, but we hope this news serves as a good example of what is possible when people come together in the food system.”
Jim Brisby, Cranswick plc. Chief Commercial Officer added that the purpose of the new partnership was to provide a total supply chain approach, delivering a robust and differentiated consumer offer across British pork-related categories, including fresh joints and steaks, sausages, cooked meats and premium bacon and gammon.
“The partnership provides a secure supply chain that is fit for the future, facilitating improved welfare standards, delivery of our joint sustainability targets and a fair return to over 170 valued farmers,” said Brisby.
“This long-term contract will also give us the confidence to continue to invest in our farms, processing factories, and people to deliver the highest quality, highest technical standards, and the most innovation to support Sainsbury’s in the provision of good food.”
This has been one of the latest changes made by Sainsbury's to invest in the future of British farming, animal welfare, and agricultural sustainability.
Other leading moves made by the retailer include sourcing 100 percent free-range woodland eggs, lowering chicken stocking density to improve chicken welfare, and introducing a beef range with a lower carbon footprint.
