Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. debuted its new Open Prairie Natural Pork brand this week at the Annual Meat Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

The company said the product delivers high-quality, delicious pork that is minimally processed, contains no artificial ingredients and comes from pigs raised under a strict set of criteria, including:

• No antibiotics ever;

• No added hormones, and

• Gestation-stall free.

“We developed this brand to meet the growing demand for natural pork while allowing retailers to diversify their product mix and give them a competitive edge,” said Ozlem Worpel, brand manager for Tyson Fresh Meats. “From 2009 to  2013, the natural pork category increased 164% , and our own 'Consumer Monitor ' survey conducted in the fall of 2015 told us that the ‘no antibiotics ever’ and ’no added hormones’ product attributes have continued to increase in importance for consumers when buying meat products.”

Kent Harrison, vice president of marketing and premium programs for Tyson Fresh Meats, said the company is proud to provide an all-natural, no-antibiotics-ever option for consumers who want to know how their food is produced.

“The independent pig farmers who supply us share our commitment to proper animal handling and, in order to qualify for this program, must also ensure the pigs are fed a 100% vegetarian diet during the growing and finishing stages,” he added.

Tyson’s Open Prairie Natural Pork program includes extensive marketing support to help retailers build their natural pork sales. Point-of-sale materials include a poster, large and small case dividers, rail strips, static clings, new item call-outs and on-pack labels. Additional marketing support elements include a consumer website with recipes and cooking tips, ad circular templates and key consumer insights.