Meat&Poultry - July 2013 - 68

Product Trends

ahead of th
Processors focused on portion-controlled meats
assess their market segment
By Larry ayLward

meatpoultry@sosland.com

I

f you ask John Cecala what’s new

tough, Kagy didn’t get tough on the

“Buying local has become more

in portion control, he’ll give you

company’s customers, who she also

commonplace in people’s language,”

an old answer – albeit a wise response

knew were struggling economically.

Cecala further explains. “We see a

that will always remain current. Take

A to Z, a nearly 70-year-old fam-

growing demand for our products be-

care of your customers, even through

ily business that prides itself on qual-

the most difficult times, says Cecala,

ity products, could have skimped on

Cecala says the 106-year-old com-

principal and executive vice president

ingredients to save a few bucks at its

pany is also espousing the benefits of

of sales and marketing for Buedel Fine

customers’ expense, but Kagy didn’t

buying local from farm to fork. “It’s

Meats and Provisions in Bridgeview,

dare do that.

about sustaining the community,”

Ill., which services mostly foodservice operators.

cause of that.”

“People do recognize quality when

Cecala says. “Companies like ours

they taste it,” she says, noting that the

are local family run companies who

Cecala says the company’s por-

economy still poses a challenge but

help farmers bring their products to

tion-control business has been chal-

business is improving. “When you

people they wouldn’t otherwise have

lenged the past few years because of

start using lesser ingredients, you lose

access to.”

the sputtering economy, not to men-

quality and consistency. We didn’t

The second trend – and it has been

tion high beef prices. But the compa-

skimp on quality, and it has paid off.”

one for a while, Cecala admits – is the

ny’s business philosophy – “Looking

demand for all-natural and humanely

out for your customers ahead of time

Portion-control trends

raised products free of antibiotics and

and helping them make educated deci-

While exceptional customer service is

hormones. “But the noise on this is

sions,” Cecala says – has helped Bue-

a finite trend for processors like Bue-

significantly louder than it has been

del endure the rocky times.

del and A to Z Portion Control Meats,

in the past,” he adds.

“Now that the [economy] is getting better, we’re getting rewarded

there are other progressions impacting their businesses.

The third trend is the increased
demand for grass-fed beef, especially

for those seeds we planted 12 to 18

as burgers, which goes in hand with

months ago,” Cecala adds. “We’re ex-

relative to portion control. One is res-

being locally produced and naturally

ceeding our budget, and our business

taurants and retailers are purchas-

raised, Cecala notes.

is growing tremendously.”

ing more locally produced products

While they are trends, they have

Lee Ann Kagy, president and CEO

within 250 miles of their businesses,

not become predominant, Cecala says.

of A to Z Portion Control Meats in

which has boded well for Buedel be-

“At the end of the day … [will

Bluffton, Ohio, couldn’t agree more

cause it is in the heavily populated

these] trends ever become main-

with Cecala. When the economy got

68

Cecala has noticed three trends

Chicago market.

stream? I don’t know, but I can tell

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