As
an executive in the meat industry, changing consumer trends often present
unique opportunities for growth and expansion. As a graduate student of marketing at
Northwestern University with experience in the meat industry, I have found two
articles addressing and analyzing this changing market.
This article entitled “Oh, you are offal
but I do like you” by Victoria Robinson helps explain what offal is and how it
functions as a profitable food trend. Animal organs haven’t seen a resurgence
since the WWII era when they were widely available, but baby boomers rejected
these staples soon after for more conventional food items. Offal’s re-emergence
on food menus as of late is something food scientist, Miranda Mirosa of Otago
University, attributes to a type of “food nostalgia”.
Above: Pork rinds with spiced honey, a popular
offal dish at Milwaukee’s trendy restaurant, Beta
This other article, “Game Meat,
Organ Meat, and Marrow—What is Fueling the Fire?” by popular food blogger,
Jennifer Nordwall, describes the growing popularity in today’s restaurant
scene of game meats and other “strange” new exotic cuts. She ties the
mainstreaming of off-beat products like elk, wild boar, and sweetbreads into
other over-arching current food trends like buying local, nutritional
value, and a growing consumer need for adventure and experimentation.
Left: An assortment of Wild Game;
Right: Nutritional information on game
meats puts them ahead of beef and pork
After reviewing these two excellent articles, I have found three action
items you need to implement immediately. They are:
1. Research! - Don't get caught off guard when other
industry professionals or customers ask about these cuts.
2) Network,
network, network - Companies like Sierra
Meat and D'Artagnan procure and distribute
many unique cuts. Call them, get an idea of the market, add it to your
portfolio.
3) Talk to
your customers - Once you have the knowledge and
have expanded your portfolio and vendor network, let your customers know
you are offering some unique new cuts. Gauge their interest, send samples, and
show them how this could help their business.
As meat professionals in
an ever tightening meat market where beef tenderloin and strip loins are
growing increasingly more expensive, it is crucial to stay adrift with changing
trends in the meat industry so as to not get caught behind when competitors
offer more options and lower prices.
Alana Heber has been a Sales/
Marketing Manager for a wholesale meat purveyor in the Chicago Stockyards for
over three years. She has is soon to obtain a Master of Science in Integrated
Marketing Communications (IMC) from Northwestern University-Medill and intends
to pursue a career in marketing within the foodservices or CPG industry.
Follow her on
Twitter @AEHeber
LinkedIn Alana Heber
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