Arooga’s is ringing in the New Year with a major ingredient makeover.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar announced their new partnership with Maple Leaf Foods, a leading Canadian based consumer protein company. Maple Leaf’s dedication to sourcing sustainably and more humanely raised proteins raised without antibiotics or hormones attracted Arooga’s to procure them as their new source for their famous pulled pork menu items.

This partnership makes Arooga’s the first restaurant in the United States to carry Maple Leaf Foods’ no antibiotic ever pork, which is sourced only from sow barns owned or leased by the company. These barns follow and exceed all standards set forth by the Canadian Quality Assurance (“CQA”) and Animal Care Assessment (“ACA”) programs. Maple Leaf Foods is committed to yielding products that come from animals that have been treated more humanely.

“This is a huge step forward for us in our initiative to improve our ingredients, and work with partners that have the same dedication to environmental responsibility as we do,” says Gary Huether, Jr., President and Co-Founder of Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar.  “When we met the team at Maple Leaf Foods, and learned more about their practices and product, I knew that we found our new source for our pork.”

Arooga’s relationship with Maple Leaf Foods marks one of many of the brand’s shift to suppliers who lead the industry in their standards for earth friendly production and utilization of all-natural ingredients, on the heels of recently announced partnerships with Impossible Foods, Owen’s Craft Mixers, and Boardroom Spirits, as well as past ingredient transitions to no antibiotic ever chicken breasts, cage free eggs, all-natural soups, and USDA certified organic produce.

“We raise all of our animals in a more natural way, without any antibiotics or hormones,” said Domenic Borrelli, Vice President and General Manager, Sustainable Meat, Maple Leaf Foods. “The shift toward using meats raised without the use of antibiotics is important for us all, as is environmental sustainability and animal wellness. We’re thrilled to move forward with Arooga’s toward this end-goal.”

Arooga’s new pork is gluten-free, nitrate-free, and has no added preservatives or antibiotics ever, which means a great tasting product that is better for the consumer.  Arooga’s signature pulled pork menu items are already fan favorites, but are now less guilty pleasures.

Arooga’s offers the following pulled pork items at all 10 of its corporate locations in Pennsylvania, as well as franchise locations in Uncasville, CT, Warwick, RI, Patchogue, NY, North Plainfield, NJ, and Attleboro, MA.

• BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders: Pulled pork sliders topped with house-made coleslaw on toasted non-GMO Martin’s Potato Rolls.
• BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich: Slow cooked pulled pork smothered in award-winning Hickory Smoked Honey BBQ sauce and topped with house-made coleslaw on a brioche bun.
• BBQ Pulled Pork n Bacon Mac n Cheese: Huge skillet of creamy white cheddar mac n cheese piled with slow cooked pulled pork and Hickory Smoked Honey BBQ sauce, topped with crispy bacon.
• Trio Fajitas: Sizzling hot skillet of slow cooked pulled pork, grilled chicken, and shrimp. Served with house-made salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, lettuce, fresh jalapenos, and warm tortillas.

The recipient of several national accolades, including selection as America’s Next Top Restaurant Franchise, as well as recognition among Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 500 Franchises of 2017 and Full Service Restaurant magazine’s Top 50 Emerging Restaurant Chains, Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar continues to charm the industry with its groundbreaking operational practices, which include creating unique and delicious menu items with fresh natural, ingredients, and becoming environmentally sustainable in energy, water, waste, food, chemicals, disposables, and building in their restaurants as part of their certification by the Green Restaurant Association.

Arooga’s currently has 15 locations, which include franchises in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, along with their 10 corporate locations throughout the central Pennsylvania region. Currently under construction, 5 franchise locations in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Florida are slated to open in 2018.