Supermarket Perimeter - May 2022 - 44

Meat & Poultry: Chicken
Kathryn Tuttle, CMO of Farmer Focus, noted consumers are cutting
back on restaurant spending because of inflation. Due to this, they are
looking for easy-to-make, restaurant inspired creations at the store.
Farmer Focus' pre-seasoned line, which hit shelves earlier this year, was
designed with this in mind.
" Farmer Focus' pre-seasoned line gives consumers the ability to
recreate their favorite meals at home or make it easy for them to
explore new taste profiles, " she said. " Farmer Focus' chef-inspired
flavors include Rich Red Curry, Toasted Lager, Zesty Peruvian Lime,
Chophouse Seasoned and Lemon Pepper. We've seen the trend that
when consumers are cutting back on restaurant spending, they're
more than willing to pay the premium for these pre-seasoned items at
grocery stores. "
Proper packaging
It's becoming as important as ever to communicate how a chicken
product is packaged as consumers increasingly make more conscious
choices.
" We have seen a continued focus on sustainability and using
packaging materials that are designed to be recycled and made of
renewable resources, " Creighton said. " Our Tyson brand continues to
focus on building consumer awareness of our sustainability initiatives
and our packaging design process prioritizes increasing the use of
recyclable and renewable materials, as well as minimizing packaging
where possible. "
Tuttle noted there is a lack of trust from some consumers for the
current food system and they're demanding more clarity on the
44 - MAY 2022
humane treatment of animals, sustainability, farmer equity, and the
production process in general.
" Over the past two years, Farmer Focus has seen nearly doubledigit
growth year-over-year in the number of individuals tracing their
chicken back to the farm using the Farm ID on the package, " she said.
" We expect the demand for social responsibility and transparency
beyond seals on packages to grow over the next few years, despite
inflation. "
Staying strong
The question during the pandemic and following was not if consumers
were looking for chicken, the question was-and remains-how
companies can meet the challenge to produce enough chicken to
support the demand.
" From labor challenges to a shift in preference from eating out to
at-home dining, consumers are eating more poultry than ever in all
forms, fresh, frozen or fully cooked, " Creighton said.
Historically, brands holding niche positions in their category are
substituted less during times of inflation and recession than those that
hold the middle ground.
" At Farmer Focus, we don't expect that to be any different as we face
this inflation scenario, " Tuttle said. " Antibiotic Free and Private Label
Organic shoppers are much more likely to trade down their purchases
which in turn lowers grocer's margins. Consumers who are committed
to a brand's values are much more likely to continue purchasing. Farmer
Focus consumers are purchasing promises beyond just an organic seal,
so the added value is obvious even when faced with rising prices. "
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Supermarket Perimeter - May 2022

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