Fresh Beef Value Added Merchandising

Ready to Serve Beef Merchandising

Hot Case Merchandising opportunities

Marinating Tips  

Today's meat department is fighting to keep its share of the consumer plate. The competition is not only other meat retailers, but anyone who is preparing and selling meals to YOUR customers. It now includes anything from quick serve restaurants and steak houses, to those who make meal preparation easier for customers while still maintaining the desired quality.

We live in an activity rich and time poor society. Consumers have less discretionary time for meal preparation and desire a more simplified life. In short, they are looking for high quality products that can be prepared quickly.

Convenience continues to be the driving force behind escalating sales of value-added products from the fresh meat case and the hot food case. The increasing ethnic diversity of the marketplace has also affected consumer preferences, creating a demand for a greater variety of foods.

With the large number of dual-income families, time and quality considerations are just as important as price when making a purchase decision. A recent study of some value-added products found that 86% to 96% of customers would "probably" or "definitely" purchase a line of pre-marinated beef strips, kebobs, roasts and steaks in a variety of flavours. The vast majority of these same consumers indicated that they would be willing to pay a premium of 10% or more for marinated products (over non-marinated products).

In an ongoing quest to help meat retailers increase sales and gross profit, the Beef Information Centre, along with contributing supplier companies, has assembled a value-added merchandising guide, The Meal Time Savour manual.

The products, merchandising suggestions, and bundling ideas (all items required to help your customer make a complete meal) contained in this manual can be prepared by operations of all sizes, either at store level or through a centralized processor.

This manual can help you

Increase overall meat department gross profit by increasing the sales and margins on underutilized beef cuts. Build customer loyalty by providing your customers with meal solutions. Attract new business, since these products will create your "point of difference." Help increase sales and profits at your hot food case.

Products like 44th Street™ are the new trend in the grocery business since they are a solution for time-strapped customers. The trend is prepared foods that taste as if they could have been made by a gourmet chef. Since they simply need re-heating and little preparation, they're called Home Meal Replacements.

Both of these product lines use fresh meat, seasonings, and are placed in a sealed bag. These products are cooked in the bag and tray packaged for the meat case or sold fresh in trays that can go into the microwave for a quick dinner. There are a variety of beef products - Slow Cooked Beef Pot Roast in Rich Gravy, Beef Sirloin Roast and Beef Meat Loaf with Gravy. These products taste homemade and only require 10 minutes cooking in the microwave.

Ready-to-cook beef entrees are aimed at the consumer who doesn't have the time, inclination or know-how to cook meals like pot roast. Retailers recognize the intimidation factor when it comes to cooking raw meat, yet consumers don't necessarily want to learn how to cook. They are willing to pay a premium price for a product that will meet their high expectations.

Other pre-marinated products available today include Top Sirloin Steaks (4 flavours), Short Ribs, Back Ribs, Prime Rib Steak and Rotisserie Roast. Also available is a frozen, ready to cook (freezer to oven) Boneless Blade Roast with pop up timer.

The ready-to-serve category offers tremendous growth potential and profit building opportunities. Many innovative new products are now in the development stages. See New Product Showcase for more information on these and other beef products.

One of the most exciting products to hit the retail market is a tender-moist rotisserie-style roast beef. Profit and volume building at it's best.

These tender-moist roasts are expanding in hot take-out deli counters. This product can be found in many different forms from raw whole roasts that are cooked in-store and cut to your consumers preferences to sliced or shaved in au jus and combined with vegetables for a complete meal.

Delicious Beef Back Ribs are also available in a fully cooked format in BBQ sauce. All are pre-seasoned requiring store staff to just heat and serve. B.I.C. is working on expanding the selection to include steaks and kabobs.

These products were designed to stay moist and juicy while displayed in the hot case and provide consumers the ultimate in convenience and value.

All of these new products are designed to make the consumer's job of meal preparation easier. The 4:30 pm dinner market is an opportunity to deliver to your customers the convenience and quality they desire and are willing to pay for.

For more information on these or other value-added products, contact your local B.I.C. retail team member.

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