MISSION REPORT 2023 - Letter from the President - Joe O’Connor

Oct 13, 2026

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MISSION REPORT 2023 presents Applegate’s mission and year-in-review highlights centered on People, Environmental Sustainability, Animal Welfare, and Ingredient Integrity. The president’s message frames change as a responsibility to the next generation, supported by steps such as third-party remote video auditing and expanded regenerative agriculture. It summarizes estimated FY23 impact across human, environmental, and economic benefits, plus key annual achievements including organic/non-GMO verified products, allergen-free progress, higher-welfare animal raising, donations, ingredient restrictions, and brand standing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages44

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Letter from the President

Our year in review

Applegate’s estimated impact in FY23

Who we are

Our mission

Our timeline

Our stakeholder model

Our farmers

MISSION REPORT 2023 Photography Courtesy of SunFed Ranch LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Joe O’Connor 2 INTRO Dear friends, I don’t think of myself as old. And really, I’m not! But there does come a point in your life when you realize: It’s not about me anymore. It’s about the next generation. I certainly feel that about my six-year-old daughter, Annie. She sees and hears everything now and she understands most of it. Setting her up for success means showing her how to make a difference in the world, and asking myself what I personally can do to make her future safer and more sustainable. If weare going to make the future better, we have to make real change today. That’s what this report, our first, is all about. It is a testament to what we do every day at Applegate, striving for progress in each of the four pillars of our mission: People, Environmental Sustainability, Animal Welfare, and Ingredient Integrity. It’s also a baseline for what we aim to accomplish going forward. I am proud of the many strides we have made. (Read on!) But I’ll highlight two here: First, our commitment to animal welfare led us this year to become one of the only companies to require third-party remotevideo auditing of all processing facilities in the United States, with the plan for international plants to come online by 2025 (See pg. 35) . And amid a drumbeat of alarming news about climate change, we are redoubling our focus on regenerative agriculture: OUR YEAR IN REVIEW 35 PERCENT ORGANIC AND NON-GMO VERIFIED PRODUCTS MORE THAN 75 PERCENT OF PRODUCTS FREE FROM THE TOP NINE ALLERGENS MORE THAN ,OPFLYACRHAMINS 12 MILLION ANIMALS RAISED IN HIGHER WELFARE CONDITIONS1 $330,000 DONATED TO NONPROFITS 700 PROHIBITED INGREDIENTS ON OUR INGREDIENT INTEGRITY LIST2 280,000 POUNDS OF FOOD DONATED \#1 NATURAL4 AND ORGANIC MEAT BRAND3 MORE THAN RMCHLSILNGI OHONUSEHOLDS 1“Higher welfare” means the farms are audited for humane animal care that meets the standards set forth by the Global Animal Partnership or Certified Humane third-party humane animal standards. 3 2 List developed from consumer feedback, retailer lists of banned ingredients, and government restricted ingredients. 4 NielsenIQ (Total US xAOC, 52 w/e 11/18/23) No Artificial Ingredients. Minimally processed. INTRO 3 APPLEGATE’S ESTIMATED IMPACT IN FY23 This impact value map shows the estimated social, environmental, and economic benefits from Applegate’s Humanely Raised, No Antibiotics Ever, Organic, and Grass-fed beef standards across Applegate’s value chain. This analysis was undertaken to estimate these potential social benefits and to whom these benefits may accrue, based on the best available scientific evidence. 4 INTRO WHO WE ARE Photography Courtesy of Farmer Focus OUR MISSION CHANGING THE MEAT WE EAT ® The way food is raised can change and transform lives...from the farmer who grows it to the person who eats it. 6 WHO WE ARE We believe delicious, ethically-sourced meat can be good for people and the planet. We are committed to Applegate Humanely Raised5, environmental sustainability, and supporting a holistic food system that connects the health of humans, animals, and the planet. Lofty goals? They shouldn’t be. But making change is never easy. It requires dedication and creativity–and people who are ready to challenge the status quo. That’s why every Applegate employee is encouraged to embrace these four changemaker principles. Intelligently question everything | Persevere with optimistic grit | Embrace creative solutions | Pursue smarter ways of working 5 [https://www.applegate.com/mission/animal-welfare](https://www.applegate.com/mission/animal-welfare WHO WE)[ WHO WE](https://www.applegate.com/mission/animal-welfare WHO WE) ARE 7 OUR TIMELINE Since our founding in 1987, Applegate’s mission has been to transform the meat industry by prioritizing integrity, sustainability, and the well-being o

FAQs

What does the President say is the purpose of this report?

The President frames the report as a commitment to progress across the mission pillars and a baseline for what Applegate aims to accomplish next.

How does the report describe Applegate’s approach to animal welfare this year?

It highlights remote third-party video auditing of processing facilities in the United States and plans for international plants to come online by 2025.

Which mission pillars does the report emphasize?

The report emphasizes People, Environmental Sustainability, Animal Welfare, and Ingredient Integrity as the four pillars guiding Applegate’s work.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Kurz