Northern California Co-ops Begin to Carry Poultry in New, Styrofoam-Free Packaging

By Jillian Keenan

Some Northern California co-ops have begun to sell poultry products in eco-friendly, Styrofoam-free packaging.

The Davis Food Co-op in Davis, California, began to sell chicken in the new packaging in late June, according the co-op meat department. Other Bay Area co-ops, however, have chosen not to carry any Petaluma Poultry products in accordance with a vegetarian lifestyle.

“Even though there are now more humane and healthier methods for raising livestock, we don’t want to profit from the sale of animals,” says the website for Rainbow Grocery, a popular San Francisco co-op. “We tend to think of animals as our friends.”

Petaluma Poultry, the manufacturer of Rosie and Rocky Brand organic and free-range chicken, introduced the new packaging this month, which eliminates the traditional Styrofoam tray most brands of chicken are sold in. Instead, these Petaluma Poultry products are now packaged in leak-resistant plastic that reduces the process’ environmental impact.

“Our tray-less packaging reduces our overall packaging volume by 73 percent,” said Petaluma Poultry spokesman John Bogert in a statement. He said that the new packaging “makes sense for our customers, our retailers, and the environment.”

The new packaging also makes it possible for more chicken wings and breasts to fit into a shipping box, which reduces the amount of cardboard required for the company to ship products to grocery stores and co-ops. More significantly, this also cuts down on the amount of fuel that is required to transport the poultry.

Petaluma Poultry, which is based in California, was the first and largest producer of free-range organic chicken.