National Meat Case Study Identifies Shift in Merchandising Strategies

DENVER (Aug. 19, 2004) -- For many years the beef industry has made an effort to make beef easier for consumers to purchase and prepare. To communicate the results of one of these efforts, the Beef Checkoff Program, in partnership with the National Pork Board and Cryovac/Sealed Air, has funded a study to measure the current state of the meat case.

This research, officially titled the National Meat Case Study 2004 (NMCS), was conducted to provide packers and retailers with a deeper insight into emerging retail meat marketing trends on a national level. The NMCS 2004 findings suggest that the retail penetration of heat and serve and value-added products has continued to grow in the meat case.  Cryovac/Sealed Air and the Beef Checkoff Program conducted a similar study in 2002, which was well received by meat department executives, prompting the 2004 study.

Outcomes from this study can also be used to help create new meat merchandising applications to further drive incremental category growth. Results of the top line audit were released Aug. 11.

Funded in part by beef producers through their $1-per-head checkoff, the NMCS 2004 was coordinated for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA.) The NCBA serves as one of the Beef Board's contractors for checkoff-funded programs.

“The face of the meat case is changing and being led by an increase in processed, heat and serve and value-added meat,” says Alan Hess, chairman of the beef industry’s Joint Retail Committee and a producer from Alma, Kan.  “As this shift continues, it’s imperative we provide our industry partners with insight into these emerging trends in order to help them adapt.”

The research showed, to varying degrees, that allocation of the meat case space is shifting, with fresh meat and poultry’s share of linear feet decreasing by six percent since 2002. The big gainers from this shift included processed meats (sausage, ham and other processed) and heat and serve – both up two percent with ready-to-cook, value-added products -- and self-serve seafood, up one percent.

 “Consumer demand is actively changing the meat case,” says Randy Irion, director of Retail Marketing for NCBA. “A better understanding of what consumers want allows us to work collaboratively with the industry to meet those needs and ultimately help increase meat case sales.”

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