Supermarket Perimeter - September 2021 - 39

" Convenience offerings are still growing, " he said. " Here in the MidSouth,
fresh pork cuts for the BBQ Smoker will always be popular. "
Sales on fresh pork at Homeland is strong with near-equal sales from
last year except for rib cuts.
" Enhanced and processed pork has increased year-over-year as
Consumers
craving comfort
foods have spurred
huge demand for
ribs and other
pork favorites.
customers are looking for convenience in meal solutions and possibly
something different than what was available last year, " Avey said.
New pork products include a wide variety of value-added, ready to
cook items that offer new, exciting and convenient meal solutions.
Pandemic challenges
Mike Merritt, senior director of marketing at Smithfield, Va.-based
Smithfield Foods, noted that due to COVID-19, there has been a surge in
consumers preparing food at home, including pork products.
" Even as restaurants have opened up, the retail demand is still high
as many consumers are still preparing more meals at home than prepandemic, "
he said. " Smithfield has responded to this increased demand
by offering larger package sizes at retail to provide value to consumers
and capture some of the demand normally filled by restaurants. In
addition, we have launched new items to meet consumers' increased
demand for pork and unique flavor experiences. "
One category in which Smithfield Foods has launched multiple new
items is marinated pork.
" Consumers are increasingly looking for more adventurous flavors
and looking for the types of flavors at home that they would normally
find at restaurants, " Merritt said. " Thus, we added a Salsa Verde
and Tuscan Herb flavored marinated pork to our lineup. These are
convenient, pre-marinated pork items that only require the consumer
to pop them in the oven for a perfect, flavorful center-of-the plate
protein. We are getting significant distribution around the country and
have received very positive early reviews from consumers. "
The pandemic influenced mainly labor availability to process fresh
and further processed pork. With the continued enhancement of
workers' compensation, this has placed challenges of getting live
inventory through to consumers.
" Fresh pork is higher in cost than throughout last year's pandemic,
but with beef retail inflation rising significantly faster and at a greater
rate, pork is again a better value for fresh protein, " Avey said. " Fresh
poultry inventory is still volatile as labor inconsistencies in the east
continue to play havoc. "
Megan Elliott, senior brand manager at Austin, Minn.-based
However, even with record-high costs of late, pork still remains a very
affordable protein option.
" All products in the pork category are doing well, especially ribs, and
we've seen a high level of consumer interest, " Allen said. " With more
people now cooking at home, creative recipes and cooking styles have
made the experience very rewarding for those who indulge. Another
trend has been an increased level of interest in premium pork; claims
such as antibiotic free and humanely raised are at the top of that list. "
Jay Avey, meat and seafood director at Homeland Food Stores,
headquartered in Oklahoma City, noted value-added pork products such as
marinated and in-meal solutions are driving the sales along with the fresh
pork regional favorites ribs and pork butts for the at-home BBQ smokers.
Hormel Foods, noted that with more time at home, the company saw
consumers became savvier and more comfortable in the kitchen. As
such, their confidence in cooking and serving
meals with pork also grew during the
pandemic.
" As a global branded food company,
Hormel Foods has several brands that
are great options for consumers, no
matter the occasion, " she said. " We have
a leading portfolio of popular brands for
everyone from convenience BBQ items like
Lloyd's BBQ Shredded Pork tubs to Hormel
Black Label bacon. "
supermarketperimeter.com
SEPTEMBER 2021 - 39
http://www.supermarketperimeter.com
Supermarket Perimeter - September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Supermarket Perimeter - September 2021
