FALL RIVER, MASS. — Blount Fine Foods on July 8 announced its “Clean & Simple” initiative, which is designed to eliminate “unnecessary and outdated” additives, preservatives and flavorings in its products and to provide more transparency for consumers through on-package certifications.
The family-owned, Fall River-based company will seek to reduce and/or eliminate the use of chemical ingredients, artificial colorings, additives and preservatives in its products, especially those sold under the Blount brand. Blount manufactures soups, sides, entrees and sauces for retail and food service. The company has more than 500 proprietary soup recipes, including 75 varieties of clam chowder, and generates more than 180 million servings of premium soup each year.
“Eating well has always meant fresh, delicious foods, but today it means more, including organic foods that taste great, foods with clean and simple ingredients, and even those foods that provide a simply delicious indulgence,” said Todd Blount, president and chief executive officer of Blount Fine Foods. “We have been moving in this direction for the last few years and have worked closely with our retail brand partners at both Legal Sea Foods and Panera Bread to ensure the retail products we market under their brands are always in step with their ever-improving standards.”
Blount has implemented several food certifications, including the SQF certification from the Safe Quality Food Institute. Certifications based in the United States will allow Blount to label certain products as organic, non-G.M.O. and gluten-free.
“Not every product can be labeled ‘certified organic’ for reasons that are sometimes as simple as the U.S.D.A. does not certify seafood as organic,” said Bob Sewall, executive vice-president for sales and marketing for Blount Fine Foods.“But if Blount New England Clam Chowder is made with nothing more than clams, potatoes, cream, butter and a few spices, consumers deserve to know the product is much more wholesome than some of the alternatives available, which is what our ‘Clean & Simple’ brand will communicate.”
