"BIOVELA Group is the first in Lithuania to present Lithuanian pork raised without antibiotics

BIOVELA Group is the largest meat processing group in the Baltic States, responds to changing consumer demands by bringing Lithuanian pork produced without antibiotics to the market. "Žilvinas, Managing Director of BIOVELA Group Lenktaitis stresses that this decision is not only aimed at ensuring a flawless the quality of production, but also to meet growing consumer demand for local, healthy more favourable food choices.

Focus on consumer expectations

"BIOVELA Group has been supplying the highest quality Lithuanian pork for more than 30 years, continuously investing in technological innovation. The opening of the largest capacity pig slaughterhouse in the Baltic States in Utena last autumn and the optimisation of production processes have created a supply model that ensures the shortest route from the farm to the store shelves.

According to Žilvinas Lenktaitis, CEO of BIOVELA Group, this allows to maintain the freshness of the products, gaining an important competitive advantage, especially against the products of neighbouring countries.

"Today, consumers are increasingly choosing healthier food, which is why we are the first in Lithuania to introduce Lithuanian pork raised without antibiotics. By choosing such meat, consumers can be sure that they are getting a product that is free from antibiotic residues that can disrupt gut microflora, cause allergic reactions or contribute to chronic inflammation. In addition, reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics on farms contributes to the global fight against antibiotic resistance - the fewer antibiotics used, the more effective they remain when treatment is really needed. Ultimately, sustainable, antibiotic-free farming not only ensures high quality meat, but also reduces the negative impact on the environment, making it cleaner and healthier for future generations," says Ž. Lenktaitis.

Quality assured

In the case of disease, the use of antibiotics is compulsory under animal welfare rules, but they can only be treated at slaughter once the antibiotics have been completely eliminated from the body. Although there are no traces of antibiotics in the meat, bacteria that have mutated as a result of exposure to antibiotics may still be present.

The "raised without antibiotics" label is a reliable quality indicator, guaranteeing that the pigs have been raised without antibiotics and that the entire production chain - from rearing to the final product - is carefully managed. Laimonas Girgždas, Purchasing Director of BIOVELA Group, who works with Lithuanian farms, adds that such animals have not been treated with antibiotics throughout their lives, ensuring naturalness and reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance.

"Antibiotic-free pork means that antibiotic-treated pigs are slaughtered only after the necessary period of time for the antibiotics to be removed from the body. However, this does not guarantee that the animal has not been exposed to antibiotics throughout its lifetime," Girgždas stresses the difference.

Working with Lithuanian farms

In cooperation with the supplier, BIOVELA Group has implemented a step-by-step process: a cultivation programme, control points and evaluation criteria have been adopted. Mechanisms are also in place to ensure that only animals meeting the highest quality standards reach the slaughterhouse. The project aims to contribute to the development of pig farming in Lithuania by promoting innovative farming methods and improving the conditions under which the animals are reared by focusing on the principles of sustainable and ethical production. The aim is also to increase the competitiveness of the sector in both the domestic and international markets. "With the opening last year of the largest capacity pig slaughterhouse in the Baltics, we aim to provide local farms with a stable demand and sales channel. This year, in order to increase the value of Lithuanian pork, we are also launching a new line of products grown without antibiotics, in the hope that this will encourage farms to invest in more sustainable and ethical livestock farming," emphasises the Managing Director of BIOVELA Group. Customers can already find the highest quality Lithuanian pork raised without antibiotics in the weighing section of Maxima, a long-standing partner of BIOVELA Group.