Elephants Delicatessen proud to serve sustainably-raised chicken Fulton Valley Farms chicken is a superior product with humane practices

PORTLAND – Elephants Delicatessen is proud to now use Fulton Valley Farms’  chicken in its classic dishes such as soups, Chicken Enchiladas Verde and Chicken Caesar Salad.

The Fulton, Calif., farm raises antibiotic-free chickens that spend their lives roaming freely and pecking away at vegetarian feed. And while the way the farm raises its birds is important, the company also takes great pride in its processing. Fulton Valley Farms air chills its processed chickens, a European standard not widely used in the United States. The processed poultry is chilled in a low-temperature room instead of a communal water bath. The result is a reduction in waste water and a superior product that isn’t as watered down.

Both the processing method and the way the birds are raised are why Elephants Delicatessen’s staff made the change.

“It’s a better-tasting chicken that is better for the environment, and that’s our No. 1 goal, to always provide the best-tasting food while staying true to our sustainability efforts,” said Anne Weaver, CEO of Elephants Delicatessen.

Uptown Store Director Nick Doughty said he is impressed with the flavor. “I am proud that we have switched to such a sustainable and healthy chicken, but at the end of the day it is just plain great-tasting chicken.”

Elephants Delicatessen is now serving the Fulton Valley Farms chicken in all of its chicken dishes except drummettes and chicken strips at the Uptown store grill.

About Elephants Delicatessen:

A locally owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen has remained a pioneer in the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest, and now has four locations. As a deli, café, sack lunch and catering company, Elephants offers a complete menu of great local foods from scratch prepared daily by in-house chefs and bakers. All three retail locations have indoor and outdoor seating, as well as meals available for take-out. Elephants Deli prides itself on its sustainability efforts and was awarded the Portland Office of Sustainable Development’s Recycle At Work Award. The Portland company’s flagship location, in the city’s popular Northwest district, features a full cocktail bar and its Private Garden Room, a venue space for social and corporate events. This location also features cases filled with house-made pastries, breads, salads, soups, classic entrees, as well as a wood-fired pizza oven, wide assortment of artisan cheeses, extensive retail wine selection and distinctive gifts. Locations include: Elephants Delicatessen at 115 NW 22nd Avenue; Flying Elephants at Fox Tower, 812 SW Park Avenue; Flying Elephants at Kruse Way, 5885 SW Meadows Road, Lake Oswego; Flying Elephants at Portland International Airport; Elephants on Wheels, 625 SW Fifth Ave. and Elephants Central Kitchen, home to Catering and Sack Lunch divisions, 1611 SE 7th Avenue. For more information, please visit www.elephantsdeli.com or call 503-224-3955.