Supermarket Perimeter - January 2022 - 47

ALTHOUGH CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY TRANSITIONING
to buying meats with terms such as " no hormones, " " no antibiotics, "
" humanely raised " and other such claims, COVID really made people
think about healthier products, and sales data indicates the natural
category grew significantly during the pandemic.
Midan Marketing, a research consultant for the meat industry with
offices in Chicago and Mooresville, N.C., conducted a report at the
end of last year and found that nearly three-quarters of natural meat
purchasers like to know where their fresh meat products come from.
" This signals that we have to do a better job than just adding a claim
to the label, " Michael Uetz, principal of Midan Marketing, said. " We will
have to find ways throughout the omnichannel experience to tell the
story of where the meat comes from and how it was raised. "
The research also revealed that 49% of buyers of natural meats fell in
the segment of Family-First Food Lovers.
This provides retailers the opportunity to tell a story about their
natural meat products, helping them feel comfortable that the product
they are buying is safe and healthy.
" These consumers center their family's -especially their children's
-health and nutrition on their meat purchases. This group is seeking
permission to feed this product to their family, opening the door for
storytelling opportunities. "
The trend hasn't let up, as consumers are not only seeking these
claims in 2022, but they are also interested in knowing where their meat
comes from and that it was humanely raised. They want assurance
that the meat they are serving their friends and family is nutritious and
responsibly produced.
Chris Oliviero, general manager of Northglenn, Colo.-based Niman
Ranch, noted it used to be that brands that could slap on an " all-natural "
claim and call it a day, but consumers have become much more savvy
when it comes to natural meats.
" Consumers are increasingly wary of greenwashing and looking
for verifiable claims from transparent brands, " he said. " We are
increasingly seeing consumers -especially younger shoppers -ask
about environmental sustainability when it comes to meat. They want
to know what regenerative practices are happening on the farms and
ranches so they feel good about how their purchases are making a
difference and fighting climate change. "
To better tell its mission-based story, Niman Ranch released its
first Impact Report this year, documenting the regenerative practices
happening on its farms and the positive impacts the farmers and
business model are having on the land, animals and rural
communities.
One increasingly important attribute consumers are
looking for in the natural category is cage-free meat.
California's Proposition 12 and Massachusetts' Question
3 -state laws to ban the sale of pork, eggs and veal raised
on farms using crates -has made consumers very attuned
to this issue and other animal welfare topics.
" Consumers are more educated and empowered than ever
and retailers need to be ready to answer their questions and
meet their demands, " Oliviero said.
According to the Food Marketing Institute's Power of Meat 2021,
there is no doubt that consumers are becoming more educated about
supermarketperimeter.com
JANUARY 2022 - 47
Raising animals in
harmony with nature
is central to Creekstone
Farms' mission.
the rising practices behind the meat they eat, as four out of the five top
claims shoppers want from their meat department are directly related to
the way animals are raised.
" With the upcoming deadline for Proposition 12 in California,
Question 3 in Massachusetts and the action of 10 other states over the
past 10 years to provide more humane raising conditions for animals
raised for food, these demands are making their way into law, " said
Sarah Findle, director of marketing and communications for Golden,
Colo.-based Coleman Natural Foods. " Healthier animals mean better
quality, natural meat, something Coleman Natural has known since the
early days of selling the first USDA-recognized natural beef at retail. "
The Power of Meat report also revealed that a majority of consumers
are willing to pay more for meat if it means guarding safety concerns
and feeling confident they are feeding their family better. And this trend
is already showing up at the register.
Dan Stewart, director of marketing for Creekstone Farms, Arkansas
City, Kan., understands the natural category is an important part of retail
customers' meat cases, and the company focuses on providing them a
product that gives shoppers the opportunity to enhance their protein
experience.
" Our natural beef program starts with raising cattle in harmony with
nature, " he said. " The longstanding relationships we have with our
trusted cattle producer partners ensure each animal is source-verified
from ranch of birth. Those ranchers are dedicated to certified humane
animal handling practices, and all the beef raised for our natural
program honors the environment. "
Defining natural
Coleman Natural was the first meat company to advocate for and bear
the official USDA " natural " label that required meat using the term to be
raised without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.
While the USDA downgraded the definition of " natural " as " minimally
processed with no artificial ingredients, " most meat companies have
their own definition and unique claims.
TYSON FOODS, CREEKSTONE FARMS
http://www.supermarketperimeter.com
Supermarket Perimeter - January 2022

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