Talking Shop with... Jim Rogers

Jim Rogers, vice president sales and marketing at Creekstone Farms, says it is important for retailers to set themselves apart as a trusted expert and source for shoppers to confide in. Talk about Creekstone Farms. What makes the company unique in the marketplace? Jim Rogers: Creekstone Farms deploys a unique system in the beef industry—from the way we source our cattle to our state-of-the-art processing plant. It really gives Creekstone Farms a product that is based on tremendous quality and consistency. The company places a big emphasis on such things as humane animal treatment, state-of-the-art processing and high quality, corn-based feed. How does that help produce a better product? Humane handling is very important to us. Not only is it the right thing to do, but animals that are raised and handled under strict humane standards provide better quality beef. At Creekstone Farms, humane handling is monitored via an affidavit all the way back to the farm where they were born and raised. Animals in our program must receive a nutritious diet and must be raised with shelter, resting areas and space sufficient to support natural behavior. If you were to observe animals on feed for Creekstone Farms you will notice that they are social, comfortable and content. In addition, we are currently undergoing the process of becoming part of the Certified Humane Raised and Handled program. What do retailers need to do to build their overall beef section? Consumers today increasingly want to know and understand where their food comes from. Where was it raised? How was it handled? Is this a healthy choice? All of these are important questions for consumers. Being able to answer these questions is key to building customer loyalty. Promotions are also a key component to increasing sales. Right now it is very much about offering value and convenience. Offering recipes and grouping related items from across the store helps shoppers make decisions easier. Fall football season is a great opportunity to take advantage of at-home eating with offers on special cuts and grouping things together. This, in turn, makes the meat department a one-stop shopping space for picking up everything a consumer might need to put a meal together for the big game. How does Creekstone Farms help? We supply point-of-sale material that tells the Creekstone story and helps answer questions about where our beef comes from. These are offered free- of-charge to our customers. We also work with our retail customers on promotions customized to their customer base. We offer Creekstone Farms seasonal cookbooks with recipes that are approachable for the average cook yet feature cuts they might not have in their weekly lineup. These recipes feature a wide variety of meals; and there is something for both the person planning their first football gathering to moms who want something new on the table that their family will love. Our case-ready program is an alternative solution that retailers can take advantage of. These products are pre-portioned cuts and have extended shelf life; and with the benefits of reducing shrink they increase convenience for both the retailer and shopper. What does the future look like for the category? Some trends for the future include shoppers seeking smaller portion sizes and meal solutions that use meat as an ingredient rather than the traditional center of the plate. Retailers that learn how to stay relevant by offering convenience will appeal to these shoppers. As the Millennial generation begins to enter their next stage of life, it will also be important for retailers to set themselves apart as a trusted expert and source for shoppers to confide in.