A group of Commerce City residents said it will begin circulating petitions today in an effort to stop a grocer from processing live chickens at its store.
Liborio Markets plans to include a polleria in its store at 6040 E. 64th Ave. The grocery store, which targets Latino shoppers, will open late this month without the facility.
The company says fresh chicken is an essential part of cooking in some Latino cultures, and frozen chicken is not an appropriate substitute.
“I have no problem with the store; I just don’t think processing chickens is a necessity for this area,” said neighbor Linda Watts, 58.
She and other residents said they’re worried about the smell, the disposal of remnants and other health issues.
Anthony Trujillo, a Denver developer who has partnered with Pasadena, Calif.-based Liborio Markets to bring the chain to Colorado, said residents think the facility will be worse than it really is.
“We have the highest standards for safety,” he said. “Those birds are inspected when they leave the farm, when they get to the store and throughout the process.”
The chickens would be trucked in and held in an area separate from the rest of the store. They would be electrically shocked, passed through a hot-water tank to loosen their feathers, then sent through a defeathering machine, Trujillo said. The company is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure the safety of the process.
Trujillo said he plans to hold informational meetings with residents and City Council members. He has already met with several residents to show them a DVD of the process.
Liborio plans to start construction on a second store in Aurora this month. Liborio is pursuing projects in Thornton, Greeley and other parts of the metro area. Trujillo said the company has not determined whether it will try to add a polleria in each of its stores.
