Supermarket Perimeter - December 2020 - 42

Meat & Poultry: Value-added meats

Source: Midyear 2020 Power of Meat study,

With Simply Sear It!, for
instance, Verde seasons and
applies a sous vide cooking
method to its 100% grass-fed,
pasture-raised beef. The meat
gets cooked slowly at a low
temperature for over an hour
before it's vacuum-sealed for
freshness. With Simply Shred It!,
product is cooked " low and slow "
for more than 10 hours.
Consumers see the value when
they take products from the two
lines home.
" Preparation is a 5-minute foolproof experience- just a quick
sear on a hot pan or reheat in a
sauce pot, " Ehrlich said.
Data shows strong growth in
value-added meat sales, reﬂected
by the way consumers are eating
during the pandemic. People are
spending more time at home
and want a home-cooked meal
experience, Ehrlich said. They're
also dealing with disruption to
work and school routines, plus
the general stress of the times,
so they're also gravitating toward
options that can help them reduce
some of the planning and work
involved with preparing a meal
they feel good about.
" This is a unique time for
brands to build loyalty by wowing
consumers with high-quality
products that not only make their
lives easier, but align with their
values, " he said. " Consumers
may try some new value-added
products during this exceptional
time, but if they love it, we believe
they'll stick with the brand as a
favorite they can trust long-term. "

Evolving consumer needs
Flavored, pre-seasoned and
ready-to-cook meats have been
gaining popularity in response to
42 - DECEMBER 2020

changing consumer preference
and interest, Vessell said. There
has also been a shift in attributebased products, ranging from
NAE, organic and grass-fed to
all-natural.
" We're seeing callouts in retail
that have historically been more
prevalent in foodservice, like
Product of the USA and USDA
Prime, for example, " Vessell added.
" We continue to look for solutions
that ensure the quality and trust
that consumers are looking
for as they focus on providing
their families with great eating
experiences at home. "
That's become especially
important this year, as consumers
prepare the majority of their
meals at home. Consistency,
convenience and variety are keys
to ensuring that home-cooked
meals don't become drudgery to
consumers.
Value-added can include a
lot of different products, Vessell
said. Tyson's focus on innovation
drives the company to stay ahead
of consumer demands for both
retail and foodservice segments,
including packaging solutions,
ground beef production, protein
portioning and seasoned and
marinated products.
The 2019 Power of Meat report
made it clear that value-added
has seen tremendous growth over
the years, Vessell said, and 2020
has been no exception. According
to the Midyear 2020 Power of
Meat study, value-added meat
sales jumped nearly 30% between
March 15 and July 12 compared to
the same period a year ago.
" Convenience is a huge driver of
this growth - both pre-pandemic
and now, " he said. " Consumers
are looking for solutions to make

mealtime more convenient and
are looking for a consistent, quality
product. Especially now that
meal-planning fatigue has set in
due to the pandemic, we know
this category will continue to see
growth. "
Consumers are looking to
experiment, but they've also
gotten tired of cooking meals at
home, Vessell said. Value-added
meats can serve a critical role
in bridging that gap, especially
during the upcoming holiday
season with at-home family
gatherings. Retailers can help

supermarketperimeter.com

overwhelmed consumers make
holiday meal preparation and
shopping easier.
" Another major trend we've
seen is an increase in online
shopping, " Vessell added. " One
in three shoppers we surveyed
plan to continue purchasing meat
online after the pandemic. "
Consumers will continue to
look for convenience, variety and
value in the New Year, and valueadded products will continue
to evolve to ﬁll that need. Tyson
expects to see items such as
pre-seasoned and ready-to cook
meats continuing to trend in
retail, as well as innovations in
areas like pre-seasoned, meal kits,
new cut methods and packaging,
Vessell said.

Callouts like
Product of the
USA and USDA
Prime have
entered the valueadded vocabulary
of Tyson and
other producers.

TYSON

Value-added meat sales jumped nearly 30% between March
15 and July 12 compared to the same period a year ago.
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Supermarket Perimeter - December 2020

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