‘Better-for-you’ can be better for the meat case

Retailers adjust their merchandising strategies for health-oriented meat and poultry selections.

Richard Mitchell

June 8, 2019

5 Min Read
Meats developed without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones, are becoming increasingly prevalent.

The supermarket meat case is undergoing a makeover.

While commodity selections still account for the bulk of meat and poultry selections and sales, organic and other “specialized” proteins, including products that were developed without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones, are becoming increasingly prevalent.

Such options, which are typically more expensive than conventional alternatives, can potentially generate strong revenues for retailers, but merchandisers must keep the newer items in the spotlight and educate shoppers on attributes and benefits if they are to spur wider shopper interest, analysts note.

Thirty-five percent of consumers already say that “free of antibiotics” is important when shopping for fresh foods, according to a January survey by Chicago-based market research firm Information Resources Inc. (IRI).

In addition, IRI reported that while organic selections account for just 2% of meat sales, activity is on the upswing with 2018 organic sales growth of 23% for beef, 19% for chicken, 9% for turkey and 8% for pork.

And while total meat case dollar and pound sales were flat in 2018, products with no-antibiotics-ever claims had increases of 19.2% and 21.1%, respectively, IRI found.

Fifty-two percent of consumers, meanwhile, indicated that they want their meat departments to carry more antibiotic-free selections as well as meats that are hormone-free or have no added hormones, and 38% desire additional organic options, according to The Power of Meat 2019 report. The Power of Meat—published by the Arlington, Virginia-based Food Marketing Institute and the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for Meat & Poultry Research & Education—was prepared by 210 Analytics LLC, a San Antonio, Texas-based market research and strategies firm.

Yet, despite the greater shopper interest in such wellness-oriented items, many retailers limit their sales by not adequately publicizing the products, said Jonna Parker, principal lead for IRI Fresh Food.

“The challenge for supermarkets is communicating to consumers that the foods are available,” she said. “Proper signage inside or outside the store will help make shoppers aware of the products, particularly for new items.”

AJ’s Fine Foods meat department

A cost complication

The higher price of organic meat also alienates many shoppers, Parker said, noting that just 20% of consumers indicate that organic fresh meat is important to them. The typical annual household income for organic meat purchasers is more than $200,000 and most buyers are highly educated with advanced degrees, she stated.

“Conventional supermarkets must recognize the need for organic meat programs in order to keep that consumer segment in their stores,” Parker said. “Retailers in the natural, foodservice and premium fresh store channels are after these financially secure households.”

The expanding variety of retail outlets offering the specialty products makes the items less of a competitive differentiator for supermarkets, said Anne-Marie Roerink, 210 Analytics principal.

“Virtually every channel, including limited assortment, club and supercenters, carries wide varieties of options,” she said. “The products are competitive musts. But because conventional meat and poultry represent the majority of sales, finding the right balance in assortment and pricing is crucial.”

While natural and organic proteins generate the strongest interest from younger shoppers, baby boomers are more interested in where the livestock was raised and whether it was subject to antibiotic and hormone use, The Power of Meat reports. Product claims with universal interest include grass-fed, free-range, premium quality and vegetarian-fed.

Younger and affluent consumers in urban areas have the greatest interest in meats with production claims, but retailers still should spell out the advantages of the different attributes, Roerink noted.

“The industry incorrectly assumes that most consumers know what the various claims mean,” she said. “Signage is a good first step, but nothing is better than having knowledgeable associates who can explain product differences and create the ‘want.’”

Indeed, Roerink said that “single cow burger” and “no feedlot ever” are two of the newer product claims and “most consumers have no idea what we’re talking about. It only creates doubt, questions and confusion in the minds of shoppers.”

 

Coleman Natural Foods banned ingredients

Brands such as Coleman Natural Foods try to make it easy to decipher better-for-you options via clear packaging.

Taste remains tops

Among the retailers highlighting and promoting specialty selections is Chandler, Ariz.-based upscale market AJ’s Fine Foods, which offers organic fresh chicken and grass-fed beef year-round, and organic turkey during the holidays. The offerings are promoted with point-of-sale materials, e-mail marketing and print advertising, said Dan Hosler, meat and produce buyer.

He added, however, that there has just been “a small uptick” in consumer demand for the items, and that price, taste and texture can be sales hurdles.

“Customers expect a high level of tenderness and flavor from all the cuts and the lack of natural marbling in some meats affects the overall taste and makes them tougher,” Hosler said. “There also is a significant cost increase for organic pork and beef.”

Indeed, the need for higher pricing is a major merchandising challenge for AJ’s Fine Foods parent Bashas’ Supermarkets, which carries organic and grass-fed ground beef; organic boneless/skinless chicken breasts; several lines of monosodium glutamate-free and antibiotic-free sausage and smoked meats; and vegetarian-fed, antibiotic-free chicken, said Tom Buttes, meat buyer.

Bashas’ promotes selections with meat department signage, special offers through its digital couponing program and traditional advertising, he said.

“Shoppers vote with their dollars so it is important to see what customers are buying and adjust the inventory to accommodate them,” Buttes said.

Though the steeper price tag for organic meats and proteins with “free-from” claims will alienate some potential buyers, a strong base of shoppers still values such items, said Mel Coleman, vice president of Coleman Natural Foods, a Colorado-based division of Perdue Farms Inc. that produces natural and organic meat and poultry.

“Many retailers are price-conscious because they have been raised in a commodity atmosphere,” he said. “Breaking that price-value, commodity-minded paradigm is challenging. It is not as prevalent as it was 10 years ago, but in many cases it still is there.”

Regardless of the price or amounts of claims, it is essential that consumers find the selections tasty if they are to regularly purchase specialty items, Coleman said.

He also agreed that claims on packages must be easily understood, as “consumers are reading labels more than they ever have.”

 

Supermarket News logo This piece originally appeared on Supermarket News, a New Hope Network sister website. Visit the site for more grocery trends and insights.

About the Author

Richard Mitchell

Richard Mitchell has been reporting on supermarket developments for more than 15 years. He was editor-in-chief of publications covering the retail meat and poultry, deli, refrigerated and frozen foods, and perishables sectors and has written extensively on meat and poultry processing and store brands.

He is a longtime contributor to Supermarket News, an Informa company.

Mitchell has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina.

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