DON

DON, an Australian brand of smallgoods and processed meats

DON is a smallgoods brand — an Australian term for deli-style products such as dried, cooked, fermented or cured meats — marketed by George Weston Foods Limited. Its range includes ham, cold and shaved meats, bacon, frankfurts, salami, luncheon and continentals, as well as a recipe section with dishes such as Salami Gilda Pintxos, La Scala Salami Salad, Warm Ham and Cheese Pull-Apart Rolls, and Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Sliders.

Product range

The range is organised into several lines: DON Snacking, DON Ham & Shaved Meats, DON Bacon, DON Frankfurts, DON Salami, DON Luncheon and DON Continentals. The company also publishes recipes for consumers.

Structure and locations

The company has a head office in Docklands, Victoria, and a manufacturing plant in Castlemaine, Victoria. Consumer enquiries are handled through Don KRC Customer Care, with a postal address in Castlemaine.

Meat sourcing and animal welfare

DON states that it sources pork from government and independently approved suppliers in Australia, the European Union, the United States and Canada. The company says the pork used in its fresh and manufactured products comes from both its own farms and approved external suppliers. Since November 2010, its farms have been free of gestation crates and sows are group-housed during gestation. In addition, its farms are APIQ certified under the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Pigs, and its Australian fresh meat suppliers hold APIQ accreditation.

Country of origin labelling and allergens

The company states that its retail products carry Australian country of origin labelling, with the kangaroo in a triangle logo and a bar chart showing the percentage of Australian content. In the case of deli products, it is retailers who must create labels with origin information to place alongside the product. DON states that allergenic ingredients such as soy, milk and cereals containing gluten are used in its plant, and that any allergen present is clearly labelled on the packaging.

Salt reduction and storage

DON says it has worked with Food Standards Australia New Zealand for years to reduce the salt content of its products, with a voluntary and gradual reduction over the past decade. The company explains that salt is added to extract the natural proteins from the meat and help bind the pieces together, contribute to preservation and add flavour. On storage, it recommends keeping products in an airtight container at the temperature indicated on the packaging and consuming them by or before the use-by date. It states that its products can be frozen for up to six months unless the packaging says otherwise, always before the use-by date, and should be thawed only when they are to be eaten immediately.

Gluten-free products and packaging

The company states that several products in its range are gluten-free and are identified by the corresponding statement on the packaging. It also explains that buying from the supermarket chilled section, rather than the deli counter, allows the product to be kept longer in the fridge and makes it possible to check the nutrition and ingredient information printed on the packaging.

Head office and locations

Location 1: Suite 4, Level 19, 695 Collins Street, Docklands, VIC 3008, Australia

Location 2: 67 Richards Road, Castlemaine, VIC 3450 Australia

Don KRC Customer Care location: PO Box 184 Castlemaine VIC 3450 Australia