A swap of meaty ideas

The latest developments in meat retailing will be on display at the 2012 Annual Meat Conference. The 2012 Annual Meat Conference returns to Orlando, February 19 - 21, promising to offer something for everybody associated with the meat industry. General sessions include the seventh edition of “The Power of Meat: An In-depth Look at Meat Through the Shopper’s Eyes,” “Winning in the New Consumer Economy,” “Health and Wellness and Effective Meat Marketing” and “The Economy and Its Impact on Your Business.” The Innovative Technology Solutions Expo features products and services designed to improve the manufacturing process from packaging, scales to labeling equipment. The show floor will be filled with suppliers and industry organizations as well. Grocery Headquarters highlights some of the companies in attendance. Canada Beef Canada Beef is the market development organization dedicated to helping retailers build growth through targeted market development activities. In addition to marketing, Canada Beef takes food safety seriously, using a systems-based approach that meets all USDA standards. Canada also has an extensive national cattle identification system to ensure herd health. Canada Beef actively works with its clients to develop cost shared programs designed to build Canadian beef volumes and values from retail private label development to promotional and educational initiatives. www.candabeef.ca Cargill Falling under the Cargill umbrella, Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. is a processor and distributor of fresh beef, pork and turkey, plus cooked and marinated meats. Representing more than a dozen major brands that are sold in both retail and foodservice channels, company officials say Cargill Meat Solutions is committed to providing great-tasting meat to customers and consumers around the world. The Cargill booth will offer samples of beef, pork and turkey products, as well display the array of retail-ready branded products. www.cargill.com Carl Buddig and Co. Carl Buddig and Co. launched its social media efforts in 2011. The Buddig Lunch club started in February and to date has 500,000 members. In addition, Buddig created a presence on Facebook, sharing ideas and recipes with fans. Buddig also has a social conscious. “For over Seventy years Carl Buddig has been nourishing bodies and now through it’s Buddig Be A Reader and its affiliation with Reading is Fundamental, we are nourishing minds as well,” says Tom Buddig, executive vice president. “One child in four grows up not knowing how to read or owning a book. The Buddig family is passionate about literacy, learning and helping others, especially families with children wanting help to learn how to read.” www.buddig.com Certified Angus Beef Top quality and unparalleled flavor have been the hallmarks of the Certified Angus Beef brand, say company officials. The brand’s premium cuts meet 10 strict quality standards and deliver abundant flavor, tenderness and juiciness. Officials add that a variety of convenience products and packaging options ensure value to retailers and their customers. For retailers looking to differentiate their cases with a multi-tiered program, the brand’s traditional, Prime and Natural lines will be featured. Innovations from the brand include modified-atmosphere packaging, brick packs, multi-vac and other case-ready options that increase shelf life and reduce shrink. www.certifiedangusbeef.com GNP Co. GNP Co. is a family-owned provider of premium chicken products. Its offerings include two premium brands, Gold’n Plump and Just BARE, and a value brand, Sunny Roost. Gold’n Plump features a full line of products for the fresh meat case, including two recent additions: lean ground chicken and individually wrapped, seasoned boneless skinless breast fillets. Just BARE features no antibiotics and no animal by-products attributes, as well as clear packaging and traceability back to the family farm where raised. The brand has been third party animal humane certified under the American Humane Certified Farm Program. www.gnpcompany.com JBS USA JBS entered the U.S. market with the acquisition of Swift & Co. in 2007, Smithfield Beef Co. in 2008 and a controlling share in Pilgrim’s Pride chicken company in 2009. Today all three are united under one roof. “JBS USA provides a wide range of beef products that meet or exceed the most stringent standards and regulations in the world,” says John Flynn, vice president of beef sales and marketing. JBS pork is harvested from high-quality hogs produced by a select group of independent farmers throughout the Midwest. Pig producers must meet specific production, facility, nutrition and genetic requirements prior to becoming a JBS supplier. “At JBS we work with our pig suppliers to ensure that all animals are produced, transported and handled in a safe and humane environment,” says Rick Parker, director of pork marketing. www.jbssa.com Land O’Frost Land O’Frost is welcoming Wimmer’s Meats to it family. “The acquisition of Wimmer’s will open new markets for Land O’Frost and help us continue to grow our company,” says David VanEekeren, president and CEO. “Wimmer’s products, facilities and expertise complement our offerings rather well and will help us to grow the combined company over the years to come.” Also growing the company through innovation, Land O’Frost is leveraging its growth in Sub Sandwich Kits with the launch of Blimpie Best in March. Making six sandwiches, the kit contains Prosciutto Cotto Ham, Smoked Ham, Capacola Ham and Salami all interleaved with parchment paper for ease of separation and portion control. www.LandOFrost.com National Beef National Beef offers a wide selection of market-leading beef programs delivering solutions to help customers succeed. They will showcase their expanded Ground Beef program, including new vacuum-sealed ground beef bricks and fresh ground beef patties, as well as their new processing capability on the West Coast. Retailers attending the conference can also learn more about National Beef’s Retail Ready products, a comprehensive line of vacuum-sealed specialty beef cuts with a 35-day shelf life. The program is supported with merchandising materials to boost interest and package labels featuring cooking tips and recipes. www.nationalbeef.com National Pork Board The National Pork Board is promoting pork tenderloins as “heart healthy,” according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The certification by the AHA means that pork tenderloin meets AHA nutritional criteria for extra leanness and can carry the “heart-check” mark. The National Pork Board also continues to spread the word about USDA’s announcement reducing the final pork cooking temperature to 145°F with a three-minute rest time. www.PorkRetail.org Pederson’s Natural Farms Pederson’s Natural Farms mantra is “real people making real food using natural meats raised with humane and environmentally safe practices.” Producing products with meat that is Certified Humane, vegetarian fed and raised without growth stimulants or antibiotics, company officials say all Pederson products are free from any chemically derived nitrites, artificial ingredients or preservatives, MSG and gluten. Additionally, Pederson’s 35,000 square foot production facility is SQF Level 3 Certified. www.pedersonsfarms.com Swaggerty’s Sausage Co. Officials from Swaggerty’s say they are committed to producing only the very finest premium pork sausage products. The line offers a variety of fresh and frozen sausage products including its “All Natural, Preservative Free” Sausage Patties, Links and Rolls. Swaggerty’s uses only the finest cuts of pork, including the hams and tenderloins, without artificial fillers, and seasoned with a hundred year-old family recipe of spices to create a fresh, butcher-cut taste and texture that officials say is uniquely Swaggerty’s Farm. www.SwaggertysFarm.com Tyson Fresh Meats Tyson Fresh Meats puts the spotlight on its flagship brand, Chairman’s Reserve Premium Meats. Company officials say the brand builds on a tradition of providing premium products to retail channels. The line includes Prime and upper two of three marbling scores within the USDA Choice grade, representing the top tier of Choice beef. The pork line includes color-graded, non-enhanced pork. Pork products also fall within the optimal pH range of 5.7 to 6.2. With a recent brand makeover and new website, the Chairman’s Reserve Premium Meats brand is executing several promotions throughout the year. www.tysonfoods.com