ST. LOUIS, MO. — The midwestern sandwich franchise Pickleman’s Gourmet Café announced six new menu items created with its addition of Tyson Foods’ Open Prairie No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) Pulled Pork.
“Incorporating Open Prairie NAE pulled pork in our menu is just one way that Pickleman’s is serving food from farms, not factories,” said Doug Stritzel, founder and chief executive officer of Pickleman’s. “Recent FDA reports show that while significant progress has been made in reducing use of antibiotics in poultry, the effort to reduce their use in pork has been at a standstill for years. At Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe we are constantly increasing the quality of our ingredients, with nothing hidden. I believe it's up to us in the industry to start leading and say, ‘The status quo is unacceptable, and we need to take better care of animals and feed our people real food.’”
Featured across three menu categories, the pulled pork will debut in the Cuban, BBQ Pork and Smokehouse Stack sandwiches, the Pickled Cuban Pizza and two new Mac & Cheese bowls.
Pickleman’s BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich was unveiled in the spring and quickly became a fan favorite, the company said. It is made in-house daily with melted provolone cheese, all-natural barbecue sauce, onions and pickles. Pickleman’s twist on the Cuban sandwich incorporates pulled pork as well as the Pickled Cuban Pizza, which is thin and crispy. The Smokehouse Stack sandwich features pulled pork, provolone, bacon and a drizzle of chipotle ranch dressing. Pickleman’s said the two Mac & Cheese bowls are yet to be revealed but will be coming to menus soon.
The Open Prairie pulled pork is traceable to Midwest farms, where it is raised on a fully vegetarian diet and processed, Pickleman’s said.
“Happier animals produce better tasting, more nutritious pork,” said Hayley Sohn, head of nutritional research and development at Pickleman’s. “We do it for the animals, your health and the health of our nation.”