Viande Richelieu INC.
- Viande Richelieu Meat : the advantage
Viande Richelieu Meat in a global market
- Viande Richelieu Meat presently sells 30% of its product in Quebec; the company distributes more than 200 000 portions weekly.
- The Quebec market shows the strongest growth because of Quebecers' interest for lean and healthy meats.
Viande Richelieu Meat Organization
Quality Control
Breeding + Slaughtering = Traceability
- We apply very high standards for breeding and processing. Furthermore, since we slaughter animals we breed, we can assure traceability for each of our products.
- Our animals which are bred in beautiful surroundings are fed natural products.
Naturally tender
- At Viande Richelieu, animals enjoy healthy nutrition which is perfectly adapted to their specific needs in order to optimize their growth. The use of hormones and meat meal is forbidden. Animals are fed exclusively 100% natural fodder.
- This contributes to naturally tender and tasty meat which is well liked by connoisseurs.
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- Horsemeat: a large quantity of horses slaughtered by Viande Richelieu come from auctions conducted in the northeastern section of North America; they are then categorized and tested by our Quality Control Service.
- Buffalo meat: all buffalo meat comes by truck from our two plants in Western Canada (ET 506 et ET 054). Breeding is done mainly in this province (Alberta).
- Ostrich meat: serious breeders from Alberta are now under contract.. Stocks are now renewed on a regular basis.
Horsemeat consumption
- Hippophagy or the consumption of horsemeat is most probably as old as Adam. During the Paleolithic period, we could find the largest horsemeat butcher shop of all times in the Saône-et-Loire region of France. Most ancient civilizations (Persians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, Cossacks …) were hippophagists. During the seventh century, Christianity forbids the consumption of horsemeat. This interdict was removed following the Paris siege in 1870. In fact, the first horsemeat butcher shop opened in Paris in 1866. The consumption of horsemeat rapidly developed because of celebrities such as Parmentier, Larry, the surgeon for Napoleon's Army and because of the intervention of the veterinarian Émile Decroix and Mr. Isodore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, professor at the Natural History Museum.
- Since June 23, 1994, in Quebec following amendments to the Food Regulations (p.29), horsemeat can be sold at all Food Retailers outlets.
Origin and features
- Horse and buffalo meat sold in Quebec come solely from North America. Horse slaughterhouses are subjected to the same health standards as those for beef slaughterhouses. The consumer can rest assured that he will always find quality meat in the meat counters.
- Among all types of meat you can find on the market, horsemeat is certainly the most tender. Horsemeat differs from other meats because of its deep red color. Moreover, colt meat resembles veal. The myoglobin found in the muscular fibers is the reason for its deep red color and its high iron content. Contrary to other meats, the older the horse, the more tender the meat is.
VIANDE RICHELIEU MEAT INC. was established in1986; our company specializes in the breeding and processing of buffalo, horse, ostrich and beef. Year after year, we have acquired a solid reputation on the International markets because of our great concern for quality and for meeting our customers' needs. Our products meet the Canadian, European, (UE) Japanese and Swiss standards.
Viande Richelieu Meat has two slaughterhouses in Western Canada; the first one is located in Fort Macleod, Alberta (Bouvry Export Calgary ..ET.506); this plant is used for slaughtering and cutting of horse, beef, buffalo and ostrich meat. The second plant located near Edmonton is used for slaughtering and cutting of buffalo meat. We also have a marketing and distribution company (EQUUS) which is located in Paris, France on the grounds of Charles De Gaulle Airport. This allows us to receive meat exported daily by plane. We can then easily organize distribution throughout Europe. Viande Richelieu Inc. is now established outside our territory.
Concerned with the constant improvement of its products, Viande Richelieu set up a Quality Control Service in 1999. Through this service, we assure flawless production, optimal work processes and the possibility of developing new ones. We will soon be HACCP accredited.
