The team was established to fulfill the enduring vision of the late A.L. Burruss who said, “God put us here to do more than just pluck chickens!”

“I am pleased to announce the latest version of our lifelong commitment to our people,” said company president Robin Burruss. “In the past we have had part time people working as company chaplains, but I am very pleased to announce we have hired 2 new people that will work strictly for Tip Top to assist our people. They will help each of our many employees be more successful in all areas of life: physical, mental, and spiritual. They are here to serve the needs of our people and to help each of us develop in every area of our lives.”

The team will be led by Lynn Ward, Employee Development Manager. Prior to joining Tip Top Poultry in her new position, Lynn worked part time with Marketplace Ministries serving in several local businesses and part time in various roles at Tip Top Poultry.

A.L. Burruss served his community through elected public office and business in addition to personal commitments. During his 22-year career in public service in Georgia, he gave special attention to the communities of Northwest Georgia. A.L. Burruss’ career in the Georgia General Assembly was devoted to providing a better standard of living for all Georgia citizens. His dedication to the state of Georgia and its citizens is now carried on through the A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service at Kennesaw State University. (Credit: A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service & Research at Kennesaw State University)

The bee that one sees had its origins with Tip Top over three decades ago. It was first printed on Tip Top’s “Top Bee” individually bagged baking and stewing hens. Although the hens were Tip Top’s “B” grade, their quality level was in fact higher than many competitor companies’ “A” grade hens. In fact, it was so high that the “Top Bee” became synonymous with the high quality expected with any product from Tip Top Poultry.

The “Top Bee” hen continues to be America’s leading brand of baking and stewing hens and may be found in your local grocer’s meat department.

The company’s values are built on 3 pillars: Quality, Service and Relationships. By focusing on these foundational blocks, the company has been a successful business since the two owning families acquired it in 1954. Tip Top Poultry will use the “Top Bee” as a friendly reminder of its long-standing commitment to produce industry-leading quality products.

“In addition to serving our current customers, Tip Top stands ready and has a strong desire to serve the former customers of Chestertown Foods,” said Robin Burruss, the president of Tip Top Poultry, Inc. since 1986. “We have been cooking poultry products since 1988 in our Rockmart, Georgia, plant and continuously renovate and expand our facilities to improve food safety, quality and capacity. Today, our product lines range from cooked fowl, broiler and turkey meat, to chicken broth, rendered chicken fat, and cooked mechanically separated chicken.”

As part of its commitment to reducing risk for Tip Top’s customers, AIB International, a widely known and highly regarded third party audit firm, conducts an annual food safety audit of its facilities. Yesterday, AIB International, gave the Rockmart, Georgia, facility of Tip Top Poultry a “Superior” rating. The “Superior” rating is the highest level rating given to a food processing facility when measured against the AIB Consolidated Standards for Food Safety.

“The AIB audit thoroughly covered every aspect of our operation and it continues to be more in-depth each year,” commented Jody Billups, Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs at Tip Top Poultry. “The Superior rating reflects the fact that our team is dedicated to producing safe and quality products.”

According to its mission statement, AIB International is committed to protecting the safety of the food supply chain and delivering high value technical and educational programs. Visit the AIB website to learn more.

Mr. Stroud is a life long Cobb County resident, who most recently served as Chief People Officer for Thompson Technologies, and has over 30 years experience in Human Resources at several of Atlanta’s more prestigious companies. “I am excited to take an excellent Human Resources function at Tip Top Poultry. We plan to bring a stronger focus on creating a culture that strengthens business results through effective use of human capital. We will also work to increase employee engagement through a caring culture.

Prior to joining Thompson Technologies, Mr. Stroud was with ChoicePoint for thirteen years as Director of Talent Development. Prior to ChoicePoint, he was the Human Resources Manager for metro Atlanta with Coca-Cola Enterprises where he worked for over twenty years.

Mr. Stroud has a passion for giving back, as evidenced by his role as Chairman and President of JobSeekers of Cobb County; an organization he founded eight years ago which meets every Tuesday at The Varsity and has served thousands in career transition. He has also directed United Way March of Dimes drives and participated in the building of several Habitat for Humanity homes in metro Atlanta.

For decades, Top Bee Moist-N-Tender Hens have been prepared with a marinade to improve the flavor and tenderness of the hen when it is prepared in the kitchen. Hens flavored with our basting solution show dramatic improvements in taste and bite over other hens. The marinade has now been redeveloped to remove all artificial ingredients and to better the flavor profile.

“Consumers prefer chicken as their source of protein because it is a healthy and wholesome choice while also being the best value in meat at the grocery store,” says Vice President of Research & Development, Dan Cohn. “For those who love the time-honored tradition of purchasing a whole chicken and baking or stewing it at home, they can feel more confident about their choice because they know great tasting Top Bee Moist-N-Tender Hens are now all-natural.”

The award was presented by Chris Stockwell, Vice President of Procurement and Robert Ostrynic, Chief Supply Chain Officer at the Strategic Supplier Awards Event during the 4th Annual Heinz Supplier Symposium in Pittsburgh, PA. Tip Top Poultry, Inc. was a leader among all Heinz North America suppliers for Quality.

“The essential, non-negotiable things that have made Tip Top successful can be summed up in 3 words: quality, service, and relationships.” These are words spoken by Robin Burruss, President of Tip Top Poultry, Inc., to the company senior leadership team in November of 2006. “We have always been known for quality. The quality of our products… the best… no one can do it better. The quality of our people… people of character… in every area of leadership. The quality of our image and reputation… in the industry and community.”

The award from Heinz North America is a result of the commitment of the Tip Top team to provide world-class quality and service to its customers.

These same businesses also understand that fully cooked products meet the need for food safety, profitability and consistency that is critical for both conventional and organic food offerings.

Tip Top Poultry has over sixty years of history in supplying the nation’s top food distributors and manufacturers with high value meats and savory ingredients. Backing our products with service that sets the standard for excellence, we have continued our pattern of consistent growth through customer loyalty during those six decades.

We now bring that history of quality and experience in service to a new line of certified organic cooked chicken meat. Using only the best certified organic raw material, Tip Top Poultry produces the best value in organic chicken meat available today.

Our Research and Development team will work with your business to develop the product that best fits your needs. Our line can produce certified organic cooked chicken meat diced into various sizes, cut into strips, or shredded. In addition, we can produce all white meat, all dark meat or a blend of white and dark meat depending on your application.

Items include:

• Hand Pulled, Organic Cooked IQF Chicken Meat
• Diced, Organic Cooked IQF Chicken Meat
• Shredded, Organic Cooked IQF Chicken Meat
• Certified Organic Frozen Concentrated Chicken Broth
• Certified Organic Frozen Rendered Chicken Fat

We cook meat from chickens that:

• Have been raised free range with access to a natural outdoor environment
• Have been raised without the use of chemicals
• Have been fed no genetically modified grains, no animal or poultry by-products, no antibiotics, and no feed that has been grown with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides
• Have had no injections during processing

What is organic food? (source: USDA)

• Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

Serves 4

4 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 scallions, minced
2 cups watercress or arugula
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

In large bowl, combine chicken, celery, red pepper, cilantro, scallions and watercress or arugula leaves. Toss well to combine. Add ½ cup Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe follows) and salt and pepper; toss gently again. Divide salad evenly among four plates or place on large serving platter.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette:

1 orange, zested and juiced
2 TBLS light soy sauce or tamari
2 TBLS rice wine vinegar
1 TBLS honey
2 TBLS grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBLS sesame oil
½ cup canola or safflower oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 TBLS toasted sesame seeds

In medium bowl, stir together orange zest, orange juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, ginger, scallions and garlic. Slowly whisk in sesame and canola or safflower oil, just until incorporated. Season and salt and pepper. Stir in sesame seeds just before serving. Dressing can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to one week.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
370 calories; 22 g fat; 3.5 g saturated fat; 7 g carbohydrate

Mr. Cohn, who most recently has been Director of Research and Development for Gold Kist, Inc., has over 28 years of experience in the poultry industry. He will spearhead Tip Top Poultry’s efforts to expand its product line offering in response to requests from its food service and food manufacturing customers.

“The expansion of our Research and Development endeavors will allow us to deliver better products, offer a more diverse product line, and serve our customers better by driving cost out of the products that they purchase from us,” noted Robin Burruss, President of Tip Top Poultry, Inc. “Dan Cohn’s experience and expertise, along with his leadership abilities, will greatly benefit our customers and Tip Top Poultry.”

Prior to joining Gold Kist, Mr. Cohn was with Wayne Farms where he was the Director of Product Development for 5 years and the Director of Technical Services for 6 years.

Mr. Cohn has a Masters of Science and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Georgia. He is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists and the Research Chefs’ Association.