Supermarket Perimeter - October 2021 - 3

Editor's note
Editorial
JOHN UNREIN
Editor
ANDY NELSON
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EMILY PARK
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STACI GRECO
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supermarketperimeter.com
OCTOBER 2021 - 3
ANDY NELSON
anelson@sosland.com
Price and value
Heading into fall, some sales figures in the retail fresh meat category were topping their
2020 levels for the first time since March, according to 210 Analytics data. At the same time,
however, volumes were down -in some cases, down to their lowest levels since 2019,
before the pandemic-related upsurge in retail meat sales.
Was inflation to blame?
US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pointed to a different culprit,
suggesting that rising prices for meat and poultry were due to consolidation in the industry
and to the dominance of a handful of companies that control most of the US supply chain.
The North American Meat Institute (NAMI), begged to differ. In a letter to Vilsack, NAMI
officials said that his efforts to " scapegoat the meat and poultry industry " to explain the
inflation-induced prices for products is not helpful to consumers.
Whatever the causes, there's no question that the prices of fresh meats - like the prices
for a lot of things sold in supermarkets these days - are higher.
But here's an interesting twist: the demand for high-priced premium meats hasn't
suffered as a result. Four in 10 shoppers say they want their local grocery stores to add more
premium-quality products to their meat cases, according to the 2021 Power of Meat.
" Consumers gained confidence in cooking beef and pork during the pandemic and are
continuing to explore more with premium products and cook foodservice quality meals
at home, " said Dan Stewart, marketing director of Creekstone Farms. " They're continually
raising the bar with their at-home cooking experience, and they're looking for beef and pork
products to step up with them. That means we must keep raising the bar on the products
and service we provide our customers. "
At least in the premium meat category, higher prices are only a problem if people are
unwilling to pay them.
" We're finding that consumers of all income levels are willing to spend more on
experiences and products they think are best, " said Ozlem Worpel, Tyson Fresh Meats'
director of fresh meats marketing.

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Supermarket Perimeter - October 2021

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