Raley’s emphasizes wellness with store-brand chicken relaunch

Western grocer Raley’s has relaunched its store-brand chicken program in line with efforts to promote customer wellness and sustainability.

The company said yesterday that, for the first time in its 84-year history, Raley’s brand chicken is 100% antibiotic-free and comes in 100% recyclable trays.

The changes were implemented for Raley’s store-brand chicken and Raley’s Purely Made organic chicken. Both labels now offer cage-free chickens packaged in 100% recyclable trays and without antibiotics, added hormones and preservatives.

Raley’s noted that the Purely Made organic chickens also are raised on USDA organic, non-GMO vegetarian feed and are free-range, with access to roam and forage in the sun.

“Raley’s is proud to launch our antibiotic-free chicken program and 100% recyclable packaging, bringing a higher-quality product to customers at the same low price,” Todd Allen, director of meat and seafood at Raley’s, said in a statement. “These changes are a critical step in our journey and show our commitment to improving our food offerings and being sustainable in our packaging practices.”

In February, Raley’s announced that it was relaunching its full private label lineup to better convey value and quality as well as provide more product transparency. The initiative included a packaging redesign for the Raley’s, Raley’s Purely Made and Nob Hill Trading Co. brands and a big expansion of the Purely Made line, including additional standards and products for “clean, affordable eating.”

Related:Raley’s revamps private label lineup

Helping customers make more informed and healthier food choices is a linchpin of West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley’s brand positioning. In recent years, the retailer has discontinued production of store-brand soda with high-fructose corn syrup and artificial colors and flavors; eliminated private label cereal with more than 25% added sugar; and pulled conventional candy from the checkout lanes, reducing the overall sugar offerings by 25%. In 2017, the grocer also introduced the Raley’s Shelf Guide, a shelf tag program to provide shoppers with more label transparency on packaged foods and help them identify minimally processed and nutrient-dense products.

Raley’s operates 129 stores in California and Nevada under the Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods, Food Source and Market 5-ONE-5 banners.