Griffith Foods Launches OptiYield Phosphate-Free Marinade System That Increases Cook Yield While Delivering Clean Label Benefits
New yield-enhancing marinade portfolio addresses growing consumer demand for recognizable ingredients while helping processors maximize profitability
ALSIP, Ill. Oct. 1, 2025 – Griffith Foods, a global leader in food ingredient solutions, today announced the launch of OptiYield, an innovative portfolio of yield-enhancing marinade systems that increase cook yield and improve texture while maintaining a consumer-friendly, phosphate-free label The technology addresses critical industry challenges by helping protein processors maximize profitability while meeting the growing demand of consumers for clean, recognizable ingredients.
OptiYield is a significant advancement in yield enhancement technology, utilizing a proprietary blend of starch and natural flavors to deliver comparable or superior cook yields to traditional phosphate-based systems. The product line is designed specifically for protein processors producing fully cooked poultry and pork products, including whole muscle applications, chopped and formed products, and tumble or inject applications.
“OptiYield addresses three critical pain points for businesses: maximizing profits through improved yield, managing product consistency, and delivering the clean labels consumers increasingly demand,” said Rochelle Schaetzl, VP of Marketing for North America at Griffith Foods. “Our proprietary natural flavor ingredient, developed exclusively by Griffith Foods, mimics the functionality of phosphates in a marinade system consumers recognize and trust.”
Key Benefits of OptiYield:
- Increased Cook Yield: Delivers comparable or superior yield performance to phosphate systems, with testing showing up to 82-90 percent cook yield in various applications
- Clean Label: USDA Natural compatible formulation using recognizable ingredients
- Phosphate-Free: Addresses consumer concerns, as research shows an average of 33 percent of North American consumers have negative opinions of phosphates in processed meat products
- Tender & juicy texture; comparable to traditional phosphate-based systems
- Allergen-Free: Suitable for a wide range of dietary requirements
The OptiYield portfolio includes five distinct marinade formulations:
- Italian Herb Garlic OptiYield Marinade (Chicken)
- Breakfast Sausage OptiYield Marinade (Pork)
- Sweet & Smoky OptiYield Marinade (Chicken Wings)
- Garlic Parmesan OptiYield Marinade (Chicken Wings)
- OptiYield Base Marinade (Chicken)
Market and Industry Impact
The launch comes at a critical time for the food processing industry, as market data shows phosphate is widely used in processed meat. For example, data shows 36 percent of fully cooked sausages and 44 percent of chicken nuggets launched in North America between 2020 and 2024 contained phosphates. This presents a significant opportunity for processors to differentiate their products with cleaner labels while maintaining operational efficiency.
Extensive validation testing conducted by Griffith Foods demonstrated that OptiYield not only matched phosphate-based systems in yield performance and delivered enhanced texture attributes, including tenderness & juiciness in various protein applications.
About Griffith Foods
Griffith Foods is a global product development partner supporting food companies to meet the evolving needs of consumers with high-quality, customized products. As a family business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA, the company is known for collaborative innovation guided by its purpose to “blend care and creativity to nourish the world.” Griffith Foods, operating in over 40 countries, is helping to catalyze and build a sustainable food system. The company’s product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces. For more information, visit www.griffithfoods.com
Media Contacts:
Emilio Balderas
Mercury LLC
emilio.balderas@mercuryllc.com
Susan Villalobos
Griffith Foods
