Cargill Rolls Out EZ Peel Packaging for Our Certified Ground Beef Products

Consumers will soon have a solution to their desire to minimize contact with raw ground beef when preparing meals. Cargill will be the first beef producer to offer EZ Peel packaging for ground beef chubs in retail stores across the United States, beginning January 2017, say company officials. The technology developed by Bemis Company, a global supplier of flexible packaging, will be exclusively used for Cargill's Our Certified ground beef 1-pound chubs, which is tube-shaped packaging typically recognized for its easy-to-store, economical, freezer-ready and conveniently portioned benefits.

A 2015 Cargill Innovation Study revealed that 57 percent of consumers surveyed wanted better ground beef chub packaging that allows them to open products without touching raw meat. Additionally, the Flexible Packaging Association's 2015 Brand Value Study reinforced consumer desire for the added convenience, with 60 percent of its more than 2,000 consumer respondents identifying "easy to open" as a top package attribute.

"We know that consumer desires are changing and our team is diligently working to provide innovative solutions to meet these desires. The new EZ Peel packaging is just one of the latest innovations in Cargill's ground beef products," says Katie Blick-White, brand manager for Cargill's Our Certified ground beef line. "The traditional chub packaging has not been modified for a long time, so this is the first major change to the packaging in years. We're listening to consumers and want to provide convenience for their home cooking experience, while also maintaining our reputation for delivering high quality, fresh, nutritious and flavorful meat. Limiting the need to handle raw ground beef also enhances the food safety aspect of meal preparation."

The EZ Peel packaging represents a slight modification to the familiar Our Certified 1-pound ground beef chub package currently available in retail stores across the nation, and will be offered in a variety of lean points and source grinds, such as sirloin, chuck and round.

"We are introducing EZ Peel packaging 1-pound chubs, the most popular ground beef portion size for consumers, with confidence that shoppers will know their voices are being heard by Cargill's beef team," adds Blick-White. "We want to provide consumers with choices in the meat case that meet their desires and through ongoing consumer research, our goal is to become their preferred ground beef source."