Knowing What Consumers Really Want

And more importantly — what they’re willing to pay for.

Whether shifting to e-commerce or staying ahead of the labor shortage, there’s always a new challenge to confront in retail.

There's one challenge that's been around since the beginning of retail: keeping up with your shoppers

The importance of understanding consumer behavior when they walk up to your meat case cannot be overstated. That’s why we’ve combed through the research and compiled some of the key consumer retail trends that are putting meat in carts.

The Value of Variety

The more you stock, the more they spend.

Many meat consumers changed their shopping and cooking habits during the pandemic.

59% of meat consumer more new recipes than normal in the next month

New recipes and emerging flavor trends weren’t the only factors affecting the consumer buying decision process. How meals are being prepared experienced a shift, too. Of particular note, ownership of air fryers jumped 12% in 2020,¹ passing pressure cookers and gaining on the slow cooker’s dominance.

knowing how your shoppers cook lets you know how to stock

These cooking trends aren’t going anywhere. Along with the traditional offerings for the grill and slow cooker, make sure you’re carrying products ideal for sous vide applications and air fryer recipes as well.

Convenience Cooking Is King

Easy does it.

Category shoppers more conscious of their time (and money), aka “Convenience Chasers,” grew throughout the fall of 2020.¹ If it saves time in the kitchen and saves money at checkout, these shoppers aren’t far behind.

It’s How You Pack It

The packaging is just as important as the protein.

The favorability of case ready products continues to rise…

And in the wake of COVID-19, so has bulk purchasing…

It all adds up to packaging.

A survey of retail meat consumers found 36% seek out meat in prepackaged wrap more often than standard overwrap packaging; an additional 36% also said they were purchasing more ground meat than usual.³

Taking these factors into account, incorporating brick packs, vacuum sealed and other freezer-friendly packaging into your everyday product mix is a sound long-term strategy to thrive in any shopper trend.

A Partnership Ready for Consumer Trends

Getting meat case solutions that work for you takes a partner that understands today’s consumer and tomorrow’s.

Reach out today to get started.

¹ Anne-Marie Roerink, Principal, 210 Analytics LLC, The Power of Meat 2021: An In-Depth Look at Meat Through the Shopper’s Eyes, Report sponsored by Sealed Air Food Care Division/Cryovac® and Published by Food Marketing Institute Foundation for Meat & Poultry Research & Education

² Midan Marketing, Meat Consumer Segmentation 2.1, September 2020

³ Midan Marketing, COVID-19 Meat Consumer Tracking Survey, January 2021