Every food company is quick to tout the health or taste attributes of its products. Getting a third party, particularly a prestigious third party, to do the same is a rare accomplishment. It validates not only the finished product’s quality but also the behind-the-scenes work that went into it. Tyson Fresh Meats recently experienced that achievement when it announced that its Chairman’s Reserve Prime Pork brand has qualified for the Seal of Excellence from the Master Chefs’ Institute (MCI), an international team of Certified Master Chefs.

“Earning the Seal means a great deal to the Tyson Fresh Meats Team,” said Ozlem Worpel, senior brand manager for Tyson Fresh Meats. “We work hard to deliver products that not only exceed customer expectations but also make consumers feel good about sharing with friends and family.”

Kent Harrison, vice president of marketing and premium programs, says that the accolade is a point of pride for the entire Tyson Fresh Meats team, including the product masters at each plant who select the products that are eligible for the Chairman’s Reserve program. The prominence of the certification and the rigorous testing methods required to obtain it should go a long way to expanding the pork’s market, he adds.

“We not only want to approach this product from a retail standpoint, but we do want the culinary side of foodservice to recognize it for its quality, too,” he says.

Unlike beef, which has been the subject of numerous species-specific branding campaigns and USDA grading, pork has become a bit more commoditized. Tyson has worked to add a premium aspect to its fresh pork offerings with its Chairman’s Reserve brand. Harrison said the company realized it could take its premium process a step further still.

“As our production facilities got better at what they do, we realized that we could continue to sort even a higher grade of marbling and a better consistency of pH and better consistency of color,” he says.

When Tyson brought Chairman’s Reserve Prime to retailers, it decided to do so with more than just high-quality pork. It utilizes the expertise of its in-house team, along with well-respected outside research firms to provide knowledge as well.

“We want to be partners with the retailer, and not only are we bringing you that pork quality but we're bringing you the expertise and the understanding that of consumer, with partners like we have with Midan Marketing  where we get the consumer insights,” Harrison notes. “For instance, we do a great thing every six months called The Consumer Monitor, and it's a running six-month review of what consumers think and feel about different products. It helps us go to that retailer and say, ‘Hey, listen, we've broken this down by either the species, or by the demographic subgroup, or perhaps we've even looked at it geographically, and here's what's appealing to your consumer in this neighborhood. Here's how we should be talking to them.’”

Once the retailer and the processor view the research and establish a marketing goal, the company is able to supply the Chrisman’s Reserve Prime pork or Star Ranch Angus beef to meet consumer needs. If there is an interest in a natural program or digital marketing, Tyson can provide that expertise as well.

“In today's world where they have, at retail especially, a churn of different employees, as much as we can add to the content and the expertise that we bring to the table, the better we can help those retail decision-makers,” Harrison says.