Quality is what sets Maple Leaf Farms (MLF) duck apart. From the very beginning, my great-grandfather, Donald Wentzel, wanted quality to be the foundation of everything we at Maple Leaf Farms do.
Going back to the 1950s, my great-grandfather had been working with the Chicago Board of Trade when he noticed good sized shipments of corn, soy, and wheat were being sent to the Northeast US. Low and behold, those grains were being sent and used for feed at a few duck farms around New York.
To him, that was curious. Having a background in the agricultural world, he knew that the quality and taste of a meat protein has a lot to do with how the animal is fed and cared for. So why would you choose to raise the animal away from their feed source? And not to mention, the extra cost!
He thought, why don’t I raise some ducks here in the heartland? And that was the thought that sparked Maple Leaf Farms’ creation. To this day, our core feed is still grown within 20 miles of our headquarters.
For us, that idea is a local, sustainable approach to farming; To him, it was just common sense.
From there, my family continued to build on the foundation of quality that our company is today. My grandfather quickly realized that creating a vertically integrated company would continue to support that goal. That means we do everything from beginning to end, from farm to fork, or as we joke, “conception to consumption.” We are proud to boast a premiere genetic Pekin line of ducks, our own hatcheries, feed mill, family run farms, USDA certified processing facilities, and distribution. Through those genetic and quality feed efforts, we grow an exceptional tasting duck with the perfect ratio of meat to fat. The difference is unparalleled.
In addition to the benefits of vertical integration, we pride ourselves on being a family-owned business. Now into the 4th generation, we are able to see how each generation has positively impacted the success and quality of our business. In the 1990s, my father and uncle worked hand-in-hand with leading poultry scientists and veterinarians to develop our Trident Stewardship Program, the first and only duck welfare program of its kind. It ensures we raise happy ducks without any hormones, practicing top biosecurity measures, and in the most sustainable manner.
As part of the fourth generation, we’ve had the pleasure of adding onto those sustainability efforts. Some of those efforts include our pallet recycling program, giving duck waste back to farmers as fertilizer, purchasing environmentally friendly packaging, efficient water usage equipment, using energy efficient sources, and more. Our goal is to always do more with less.
And let’s not forget, we send our duck down and feathers to our company Down Inc, to make pillows and blankets. We truly want to use everything but the quack.
Now, let’s get to the good stuff – what shows up on your plate:
As MLF has grown, we boast a diverse product line that fits the size, skill, and unique setup of any kitchen. We offer the classics and other raw products for scratch kitchens, such as boneless duck breast, the filet of the poultry world; whole birds, when you want a little bit of everything; duck legs;
ground duck for tacos, burgers, meatballs and more; and rendered duck fat…or as I call it, liquid gold.
We also offer many fully cooked items in our labor saver line, where you can gain time in the kitchen and ensure a consistent preparation, while never sacrificing taste or innovation. From our 100% yield products like our sous vide diced breast and pulled leg meat, to our center of plate options like our roast half duck and confit leg, we have an option for you. And don’t sleep on the duck bacon, or our appetizer line of duck quesadillas, duck bacon wontons, or my personal favorite, duck wing drumettes.
As we peer into the future, we look forward to expanding those product options. We look forward to growing our halal, antibiotic free, and sustainable offerings that matter to customers across the board. And we look forward to getting more folks “hooked on quack” because duck is an awesome protein.
Duck is fun, duck is versatile, and no other duck compares to ours.
In the end, you won’t just taste the difference of our quality duck products, you’ll be proud to serve them too.
#DUCKYEAH - Alli (Tucker) Zito