Supermarket Perimeter - October 2024 - 43

Flannery said. Demand continues to surge for grass-fed meats, Flannery
said. You can now find grass-fee at all major grocery chains, not just in
specialty shops.
Greenridge is also keeping a close eye on the emergence of
byproducts of grass-fed beef, like beef tallow, whey protein powder,
butter and supplements.
" Today's consumers are more conscious of the quality of food they
purchase, recognizing the benefits of grass-fed beef and adjacent
products supporting their eating habits and dietary needs, " Flannery
said. " Grass-Fed beef is typically easier to digest, has fewer calories, and
has more heart-healthy fats, making it an easy alternative to the more
processed red meats in the market. "
Greenridge's grass-fed beef is sourced from US producers and is
never frozen.
Surging demand
Demand for grass-fed beef at retail grocery is very strong, said Kirstyn
Lipson, marketing director for Verde Farms.
Grass-fed beef has grown +18% YOY in dollar sales, outpacing overall
better-for-you (BFY) beef growth (+14% YOY) and significantly outpacing
conventional beef category growth (+3% YOY), according to Nielsen
data cited by Verde.
That growth, Lipson said, has been driven by an increase in velocity,
meaning customers are buying grass-fed beef products faster than they
have in the past.
Throughout its nearly 20-year history of providing high quality
grass-fed products, Verde also prioritizes staying connected to what's
important to our consumers to deliver the purest and most nourishing
beef possible, Lipson said.
Through its own research, for instance, Verde has learned that over
two-thirds of better-for-you (BFY) consumers prioritize maximizing the
health benefits of their beef.
That research also found that roughly a third of consumers also
prioritize animal welfare and minimizing environmental impact when
making their beef purchasing decisions.
Verde's response, Lipson said, has been to double down on its
commitment to provide all the BFY attributes consumers demand
across its portfolio of beef products: 100% grass-fed and finished, USDA
organic, verified regenerative, non-GMO, always free range and pasture
raised, and no antibiotics or added growth hormones.
Verde, she said, is the only brand that has everything consumers
want in their BFY Beef.
" Verde products meet the growing list of consumers' needs with the
highest attribute stack in the category. "
" Our beef goes beyond just 100% grass-fed and finished: we're also
USDA organic certified, humanely-raised, verified regenerative, and
taste delicious. "
BFY consumers have a message for producers and retailers, Lipson
said: " more is better. "
While grass-fed beef is growing at +18% YOY in dollar sales and
organic beef is growing +19% YOY, beef that's both grass-fed and
organic is growing even faster, at +20% YOY.
" Consumers want beef that is better for them, better for the animals,
and better for the environment. "
supermarketperimeter.com
GRASS-FED HOT DOGS
By Ryan McCarthy
Hickory Nut Gap is rolling out 100%
Grass-fed Beef Uncured Hot Dog at retail
outlets and foodservice operations.
After testing and development, the
hot dog made its debut at McCormick
Field, home of the Asheville Tourists, the
city's minor league baseball team.
With this new offering, Hickory Nut
Gap hopes to bring more regeneratively
raised meats into the market.
" Our mission is building community through
agriculture, and across all of Hickory Nut Gap
products, hot dogs exemplify that the best, "
said Jamie Ager, Hickory Nut Gap Meats chief
executive officer and fourth-generation family
farmer. " Campfires, baseball, trips to the lake or
beach - we love the nostalgia and taste of hot
dogs, and we make them better by only using
clean ingredients and always 100% grass-fed beef.
We know customers feel this way too and will love
supporting local, family farmers while providing
their loved ones with a delicious- tasting hot dog. "
The hot dog's ingredients include meat from
100% grass-fed and grass-finished cattle. It is
also minimally processed with no preservatives,
fillers, artificial ingredients, added nitrates
or nitrites, gluten, lactose, or MSG.
The new hot dog will be available in Earth Fare,
select Harris Teeter locations, Food Matters,
Hendersonville Grocery Cooperative, Weaver
Street Market, Trout Lily and through the
Hickory Nut Game Farm Store online.
OCTOBER 2024 - 43
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Supermarket Perimeter - October 2024

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