Canterbury has received a boost to its economy - thanks to pigs.
Countdown has announced that all its fresh pork sold nationwide will now be free-farmed and sourced from Canterbury.
The supermarket chain said the change was made after customers said they wanted to buy products from farms which methigh animal welfare standards.
Countdown is sourcing the pork from Patoa Farms, owned by farmer Steve Sterne and based in Hawarden, North Canterbury. Patoa has been free-farming pork since 1998 and is independently certified by the SPCA.
Alton Gullery, Countdown's Head of Meat, said the move to 100 per cent free-farmed fresh pork would make animal welfare considerations a more widely available choice for consumers.
"We've partnered with Patoa Farms for several years now.
"We know that provenance, supporting local Kiwi producers and animal welfare are all increasingly important considerations for our customers. Steve and his team at Patoa Farms have set the bar high for free farmed pork," says Gullery.
Steve Sterne from Patoa Farms said: "We know that animal welfare and knowing animals are well cared for is really important for Kiwi customers, and we've always taken this approach to our farming business."
