Supermarket Perimeter - February 2021 - 34

Meat & Poultry: Grass-fed

In 2021 we plan to extend our efforts with
experiential marketing events in-store, digital
campaigns and targeted advertising. "

Plus, when consumers use their hard-earned dollars to support
sustainable family farms, they're helping rural communities, small
family-owned businesses, and the environment.
Badger noted pastured poultry is a local ﬁrst mentality, so when a
consumer buys pasture raised eggs or chicken, they're contributing to
the local economy.
" Money circulates within a community because the farmer is buying
supplies locally and the consumer purchases are feeding that loop, "
he said. " The pandemic panic in 2020 showed customers that there
is a vibrant community of independent farmers that can feed their
communities. And when they needed to ﬁnd them, they did. Retailers
could play a role in strengthening that connection, if they wanted to. "
He noted consumers also care about pastured poultry because it
ticks several boxes that are top of mind: animal welfare, nutritionally
different and environmentally friendly.

Getting the word out
In the same way it's crucial for meat brands to be innovating " valueadded " products for consumers, Ehrlich noted retailers can dial in to this
sensibility by asking how they can add value to the experience of the
consumer in-store, either by offering the convenience of centralized
merchandising, meal ideation, or education, driving attention and sales
in the process.
" Consumers are often seeking out ideas to transform meat into
a complete and more inspired meal, so we always recommend that
retailers keep occasions in mind when merchandising meat and
secondary cases, as opposed to just focusing on individual product
formats, " he said. " Retailers can also display take-away information for
34 - FEBRUARY 2021

consumers that call out key nutritional and environmental attributes of
grass-fed, complete with instructions that outline how fast and easy it is
to make a delicious, ﬂavorful meal from the products displayed. "
Before COVID, in-store cooking and meal prep demos were also
great ideas, and hopefully, they will return.
Verde Farms also works to be a fully integrated partner to its
customers, helping them inform their merchandising and sales through
data, marketing support, and educational materials for their meat
department staff and consumers.
" We partner with customers on signage, promotions, and demos
to drive awareness and product trial, and we provide resources like
recipes, cooking demos, and images for cross-promotional use, "
Ehrlich said. " In 2021, we plan to expand our efforts in this area with
experiential marketing events in-store, digital campaigns, and targeted
advertising. "
Jarvis noted that a rising number of consumers ﬁnd grass-fed and
pastured foods more nutritious and delicious, and supermarkets need
to get the word out about these products and emphasize the positive
qualities.
" When people try a grass-fed, grass-ﬁnished steak or burger, they'll
experience the difference in ﬂavor, " he said. " The higher concentration
of Omega-3 fats and CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acids) in grass-fed,
grass-ﬁnished meats is heart and brain healthy. "
Communication therefore is key, and he recommends stores engage
the customer.
" People want information, " Jarvis said. " It's important to have a
customer service team that can answer those questions Where does
the food come from? How is it raised? What were they fed? What are the

supermarketperimeter.com

VERDE FARMS

Dana Ehrlich, Verde Farms

http://www.supermarketperimeter.com

Supermarket Perimeter - February 2021

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