Draper Valley Farms stands out in the chicken marketplace with its philosophy of wholesome, healthy birds.

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Mount Vernon, Wash.-based Draper Valley Farms has been in business since 1935, but the chicken producer underwent a large shift in identity when it was acquired by Booth Creek Management Corp., which also owns Coleman Natural Foods, in November.

The company, which is known for its fresh, local product via numerous farms in the Northwest United States, is now associated with a vigorously ethical and healthy product. Since its acquisition, Draper Valley has raised free-range, vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free birds.

According to Draper Valley Farms President Mike Leventini, now is the perfect time for such a product. Not only are today’s consumers more health and ethics conscious, they are more informed, he says. Leventini spoke with Manufacturing Today about shifting away from conventional poultry production, what it’s like to work at Draper, and how its product distinguishes it in the marketplace.

Manufacturing Today: What kind of changes has your company experienced since being acquired by Booth Creek?
Mike Leventini: Our biggest change we have made is a conversion from conventional chicken to what we call an all natural, antibiotic free bird that has never been fed animal byproducts – that’s the biggest way we’ve changed. With Coleman Natural foods, that’s the way we do business. We use only vegetarian feed sources, and we wanted to convert Draper to the same format.

MT: How has this change affected Draper?
ML: The biggest change is in the live production side. We are pulling animal byproducts out of the chicken’s feed and changing our growing programs to enable an antibiotic-free protocol, and we take antibiotics out of the feed. (Our employees) have to really put pressure on and improve (their) caring for birds … by doing things like making sure their feed is the right temperature and the house’s air quality is right.

You also have to give (chickens) more room. Feed costs go up because you’re not feeding animal byproducts and you have to be better at managing the ground facilities. The temperature has to be right, and it takes more work.

But this has obviously been very positive for us. Certainly we have to be competitive in the marketplace and we’ve also changed over because we believe this is the right way to raise chickens.

MT: How is your company adapting to market changes?
ML: From our perspective, people are more aware of what’s in their food, and they want to buy products that they feel good about. We’re trying to meet that demand by raising products that are antibiotic-free and vegetarian-fed. People are realizing that eating typical fast-food every day isn’t cool. They’re wanting to know not only what’s in their food, but maybe how the animals were raised that they’re buying. People are starting to pay attention, and we’re really proud of the way we raise our chickens.

MT: What else are you proud of at your company?
ML: Our products and our people. I think if you want a product where you like the flavor and feel comfortable about how it was raised, then this is the kind of chicken you want to buy. The company has been around since 1935, and we have had a lot of long-term, dedicated employees that are committed to raising chickens the right way.

MT: What sets you apart ?
ML: Our back-to-the basics approach of how we treat our chickens, and our philosophy of wholesome, healthy birds. The feed regimen we use is very important. Antibiotic-free means our birds are never fed or administered any antibiotics whatsoever  not in the hatchery, not in their feed, not in their water, not ever.    

The big thing that sets us apart is the product we’re marketing – we went from a conventional chicken to an all-natural, antibiotic-free, vegetarian-fed product. That’s how we feel we can compete in the marketplace.