Lamb also experienced an increase in sales, thanks to a shift from foodservice to food retail. In December 2020, lamb continued to experience the highest percentage gains on its small base, up 34.1% versus the same month a year ago, according to IRI and 210 Analytics data. Lamb has kept its monthly gains very steady, at 30%-40% over year-ago gains.
The Big Chill
Consumers also hit the freezer aisle in 2020 for their protein needs. According to IRI and 210 Analytics data, meat, poultry and seafood all experienced above-average growth in the frozen food section, which has emerged as a true extension of the meat department.
“When you look throughout 2020, there are periods of shelter in place, and time periods where mobility was much higher, when virus counts were down,” notes Roerink. “During the periods of low consumer mobility, you see both frozen and shelf-stable gear up. This is directly related to people wanting to go to the store less, but actually having to cover more meals, from breakfast and lunch to dinner, beverages and snacks. This means that people looked for items that can easily be frozen or items that have longer shelf life.”
According to Roerink, frozen seafood in particular experienced exceptional growth during 2020. Whereas fresh and frozen seafood were of similar size in total dollar sales at the beginning of 2020, the aggressive growth in frozen seafood has moved it well past its fresh counterpart.
Overall, double-digit increases versus the same week a year ago were seen for the vast majority of frozen categories, led by meat, poultry and seafood. These proteins increased their contribution to sales to 25.9% in December 2020.
Consumption Trends Create Opportunity
Increased beef consumption following COVID-19 is creating new opportunities for food retailers. While many restaurants across the nation are still under COVID-related restrictions, the deli-prepared food section can step in as a safer alternative to eating out while providing quick-serve meal solutions, with proteins playing a significant role.
NCBA’s November 2020 Deli-Prepared Survey found that almost half of consumers would be more likely to make purchases in this section if there were even more beef options. “However, having a variety of protein options is still important, especially among younger consumers,” the survey notes. “Shoppers are also looking for a variety of cuisine options as well, such as American, Italian and Mexican, when they shop the deli-prepared section. Incorporating beef into options utilizing these cuisines could entice even more consumers.”
The survey also revealed that consumers are currently buying, and are more open to buying, beef meatballs and beef sausage than meatballs or sausages made with other proteins. The interest in proteins and specific beef items shows that beef options could help draw even more consumers to shop for deli-prepared foods.
More at-home cooking is also driving greater variety of cuts/kinds purchased, so food retailers should leverage enthusiasm for experimentation. In its top cooking trends predicted for 2021, Bronx, N.Y.-based e-grocer FreshDirect indicated that the demand for premium cuts of meat will rise, as the retailer’s meat sales had recently increased 63%. The online grocer expects this trend to hold steady even after the pandemic.
Shopper behavior also shows that shelf life matters. Retailers should consider packaging that supports longer shelf life, and think about holding stock-the-freezer events.
“In the meat department, there is a real opportunity to address shelf life with packaging, so people can buy for several days and weeks at a time and be easily able to freeze it without repackaging, or store it in the refrigerator for several days or weeks,” says Roerink.
While there has been much discussion of adjusting portion size for smaller holiday celebrations, a big shift in cooking versus eating out has been observed among single consumers. Retailers should ensure that they have solutions that address beef offerings for these smaller households.
Roerink also reminds retailers about the health aspect when promoting beef. “In the beginning of the pandemic, we saw people fall back into more conservative eating patterns, perhaps [for] a bit of nostalgia or comfort, but healthful choices are roaring back,” she observes. “Immunity is a big area of focus for consumers, and beef brings zinc to the table, to name just one. Consumers highly associate vitamins C and D and zinc with immunity building.”
The Link LonkFebruary 17, 2021 at 08:08AM
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'Beef'ing Up Sales - Progressive Grocer
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