Supermarket Perimeter - February 2022 - 37

the different brands. " Niman Ranch initially planned to launch its
100% grass-fed program in 2021, focusing predominately on the
restaurant community, but with the deleterious impact COVID had on
the foodservice industry, the company's launch has been relatively
balanced between foodservice and retail.
" Our grass-fed is now offered at many of the country's best steak
houses, premium restaurants, and select retail establishments -many
of which had not offered grass-fed prior to our introduction, " Tarpoff
said. " In 2022, we will continue to build on our current business, while
placing an emphasis on expanding our presence in retail, offering the
added confidence that our grass-fed beef is enthusiastically endorsed
by some of the most discerning beef customers in the country. "
Gaining in prominence
Kay Cornelius, general manager of Panorama Organic Grass-Fed Meats,
Westminster, Colo., noted that the demand the category saw last year is
certainly continuing in full swing in 2022.
" It is fascinating to see the retail side of it, with demand outpacing
supply, " she said. " It's something we see at Panorama. We can't get
enough steaks and different grinds into the hands of consumers fast
enough. "
She noted that with so many consumers drawn to organic and grassfed
beef as a trusted source of their nutritional journey, products like
this are just becoming more and more popular.
" The grass-fed beef category is higher in Omega 3, lower in fat and is
a rich source of nutrient-dense protein, and that's what a lot of people
are looking for, whether it's for weight loss, for their heart or just to
better care for the environment, " she said. " Consumers want to know
more about the companies behind these products. "
With that in mind, one of the things Panorama did was to put QR
codes on their labels so consumers can scan them and get immediate
transparency and learn more about the grass-fed process.
Sean Sáenz, senior director of meat and seafood operations for
Encino, Calif.-based retailer Gelson's Markets, has seen the grass-fed
beef category rise substantially since the pandemic.
" In 2020, we saw an increase on the grass-fed segment, but in 2021,
GRASS-FED BEEF is an exciting opportunity that continues to grow
across the United States. In fact, according to IRI, from July 2020 to July
2021, US grass-fed fresh beef sales reached $776 million, an increase of
5% from the previous year.
That can be somewhat attributed to COVID-19. During the pandemic,
consumers were spending a lot more time home cooking and
discovering that they enjoyed doing it. As they explored meal options,
many also put new emphasis on their family's health and wellbeing as
well as that of the environment. Grass-fed beef increasingly became a
regular part of their shopping carts.
While many consumers were initially turned off by the taste of the
grass-fed beef and poultry in the marketplace, citing a strong mineral
flavor, today's offerings are much improved and championed for their
quality and taste.
" We are seeing a premiumization of grass-fed, " said John Tarpoff
II, vice president of beef for Northglenn, Colo.-based Niman Ranch.
" For too long, the grass-fed label alone was enough, but customers
are learning that there are differences in quality and taste among
it leveled out considerably, but we're still running 15-18% over 2019, " he
said. " It's my second-largest growth category behind organic chicken. "
Gelson's was able to leverage a grass-fed program so it could offer its
customers what they desired on almost all items in the department.
" I believe it will continue to grow and I see it getting bigger and
bigger, " Sáenz said. " The pasture-raised poultry category is also
increasing, and we just see customers who want to eat healthier and
look for these sorts of products to feed their families. "
Rob Williams, Meat & Livestock Australia's regional manager for North
America, noted that within the grass-fed beef industry, True Aussie Beef
stands out for its consumer-facing brand story and its ability to meet
foodservice and retail sectors' unique needs.
" The US is Australia's largest importer of grass-fed beef, accounting
for 45% of Australia's chilled grass-fed beef exports, " he said. " American
consumers are increasingly interested in grass-fed beef, but grassfed
beef currently only accounts for between 4 and 5% of the US beef
market. We believe there is huge market potential for growth. " The
company's research shows American grass-fed beef consumers are
supermarketperimeter.com
FEBRUARY 2022 - 37
Niman Ranch
and other top
suppliers are
benefiting from the
" premiumization "
of grass-fed.
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