Country meats western

From country-raised chicken and pork to Western beef, the latest trends in proteins will be the center-of-plate discussion at this month’s 2015 Annual Meat Conference in Nashville.

When industry officials and retail buyers descend on the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. for the Annual Meat Conference (AMC), February 22-24, their plates will be full with a smorgasbord of educational, networking and sampling opportunities.

New for this year, the AMC has combined the traditional Innovative Technology Solutions Exhibits with the Product Tasting Reception to create one larger, longer exhibit and networking opportunity, with more than 75 exhibiting companies expected to showcase, say show organizers.

Comprehensive educational sessions include a variety of ways to explore the latest developments in meat retailing today, and attendees will gain tools, insights, inspiration and new ideas to differentiate their unique products and services, fortify their marketing return on investment, increase sales and build customer loyalty, organizers promise.

Of course, retailers and industry officials will also be looking to get the latest insights on the outlook for the meat industry for the remainder of 2015. For many proteins the outlook remains challenging, with high prices and tight supply, say industry observers. That is definitely the case with veal, where the cost of raising a baby calf has tripled.

“As we get into 2015 we’re still being challenged with very high calf costs,” says Tony Catelli, president and CEO, of Catelli Brothers, a Collingswood, N.J.-based processor of lamb and veal.

“For at least the next six months we still see extremely high cost of production to raise veal. In the industry as a whole, the numbers we are processing are off 20-25%, so supplies are very tight and margins very small,” Catelli says. “It is challenging for retailers because the price points make it difficult to feature veal.”

The beef supply is also likely to remain tight in 2015 and into 2016, says Michael Uetz, principal at Midan Marketing, a Chicago-based agency and AMC sponsor. “I think the picture is a little bit brighter on the pork and poultry side, but things are dependent on what happens from the weather perspective, in terms of generating the feed supply,” Uetz says, adding that the PEDv virus that greatly impacted piglets in 2014 is now under control, allowing for pork production to increase.

Despite the higher prices, Uetz expects beef sales to remain healthy. “People are still buying. Demand is still incredibly strong,” he says.

Chicken also continues to fly.

“We are seeing a pretty good demand for chicken and that should continue from a volume standpoint,” says Eric Christianson, senior vice president, marketing & innovation, at Perdue Foods, based in Salisbury, Md. “There should be a 2–3% growth range from a volume standpoint, and that is translating in the 3–5% range in dollars at the supermarket.”

An added benefit of chicken is its quick turnaround time, with a bird going from chick into the tray in about 60 days, Christianson notes.    

One of the items Perdue is touting at the conference is its new Perdue Simply Smart Now With No Antibiotics Ever line, available in a variety of formulations, including Lemon & Herb, and Rosemary & Olive Oil flavored strips. “We know that many consumers are looking for chickens that are raised without antibiotics, so we are upgrading, adding new items and expanding our assortment into new areas of the store,” Christianson says.

Here are what some other suppliers have in store for conference attendees:    

Carl Buddig and Co.

“Carl Buddig and Co. is excited that it will have a booth at the 2015 AMI show,” says Robert Gay, director of marketing, at Homewood, Ill.-based Buddig. “The show is a great venue to showcase our company’s capabilities, new products and for interacting with the retailers we serve and the industry that we’re passionate about.”

Attendees visiting with Buddig officials can learn about a wide variety of products, including Buddig Original, thinly sliced luncheon meats available in 12 varieties, including the new Black Forest Ham; Buddig Deli Cuts, 95% fat-free cold cuts; Buddig Premium Deli; Buddig Fix Quix, convenient individual portions of protein for use in salads, omelets, pasta, casseroles and other dishes; and Old Wisconsin smoked sausages. www.buddig.com; www.oldwisconsin.com       

Catelli Brothers

Quality, safety, convenience and value are what officials from Catelli Brothers will be touting. Catelli Brothers has specialized in veal and lamb products since 1946, and the Collingswood, N.J.-based company’s focus has always been on quality, say officials.

Catelli Brothers’ products and attributes include all-natural USDA choice veal and lamb; all-natural imported Australian lamb; a wide variety of primal, portion control, tray ready, case-ready, seasoned and fully cooked products; national distribution; superior customer service; reduced out-of-stocks and controlled shrinkage; private label program; versatility and dependability; food safety and sustainability; and humane handling, including 24/7 third party video monitoring.

“Quality is what our customers expect and receive,” says Tony Catelli, president and CEO. “That’s how we have grown to become one of the largest veal and lamb purveyors in the U.S.” www.catellibrothers.com

Certified Angus Beef

Through the Certified Angus Beef brand’s 10 exacting standards, retailers continue to provide customers with a greater selection of fresh premium beef choices and profitable cuts, as well as value-added and deli items. That is one of the messages that officials from Wooster, Ohio-based Certified Angus Beef will be driving home at this year’s conference.

Officials add that the brand’s consistent quality helps retailers secure the perimeter and develop a distinctive beef presence and their experience in merchandising and marketing, along with the newly released “family farm to family table” promotion, also helps retailers connect with shoppers in compelling ways.

The focus this year is on fresh with Certified Angus Beef brand burgers from Schweid and Sons displayed in traditional-style, butcher paper sleeves. Golden West Food Group returns to the showcase with fresh Certified Angus Beef brand Natural, Glatt Kosher and Halal cuts, offering retailers a selection of premium beef to satisfy their customers’ individual tastes.

At the opening Rhythm, Music & Meat reception, attendees can enjoy the brand’s Prime-quality roasted middle meats and visit with staff about merchandising solutions that deliver added value to the meat case. www.certifiedangusbeef.com     

Corbion Purac

Corbion is a global market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives and lactides, and a leading company in emulsifiers, functional enzyme blends, minerals and vitamins. In meat and poultry, officials for the Lenexa, Kan.-based company say they can be a versatile and knowledgeable partner offering a wide range of preservations and solutions. Corbion Purac’s Verdad and Opti.Form products ensure high levels of food safety and shelf life for ready-to-eat fresh meat and poultry products, including economy brands and natural and label-friendly solutions, officials add.

At the conference Corbion Purac will be sampling Korean short ribs featuring its Verdad N16 (a clean label ingredient) as well as Italian sausage. www.corbion.com

John Morrell Food Group

With more than 150 years of experience, John Morrell Food Group (JMFG) brands have become respected and well known for providing premium-quality meat products nationwide, say company officials. With products ranging from lunchmeat and franks to smoked sausage, bacon and pepperoni, JMFG, based in Cincinnati, offers several national and regional brands including Eckrich, Nathan’s Famous and Margherita, and is featuring four products at this year’s conference.

CB Old Country Store Spiral Ham is a premium, bone-in ham with a sweet, savory glaze and classic homestyle taste, say officials, adding that the dry-cured and spiral-sliced ham is one of the highest-quality hams offered by JMFG, and is easy to prepare with a variety of cooking options.   

Eckrich Fire-Roasted Pepper & Onion Smoked Sausage is cooked over natural hardwood, with real bell peppers and sweet onions roasted over direct flames, delivering the authentic smokehouse taste Eckrich is known for, say officials.

Nathan’s Famous 50% Reduced Fat Beef Franks provide the same Nathan’s Famous taste in a low fat option.

Margherita Fresh Italian Meatballs are crafted from a blend of Romano and Parmesan cheeses, garlic and parsley. They can be simply heated and served or combined with sauces and seasonings to create a unique dish, say officials. www.johnmorrellfoodgroup.com

Land O’Frost

On the heels of its Simply Delicious product launch in 2014, Land O’Frost is debuting Pure and Simple—an all-natural product to meet consumers’ health needs for the lunchmeat category. Available beginning in February, Pure and Simple is all-natural, antibiotic-free and contains no animal by-products or nitrates/nitrites.

Pure and Simple’s four varieties—Uncured Honey Smoked Ham, Uncured Applewood Smoked Ham, Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Honey Roasted Turkey Breast—will be supported by awareness campaigns and marketing programs designed to create shopper awareness in and out of the store.

“Pure and Simple is the perfect product for the sophisticated consumer who truly believes less is more,” says Keith Hill, director of brand management for the Munster, Ind.-based company. “The product’s limited additives and healthful, fresh taste appeal to all consumers.”

Pure and Simple is Land O’Frost’s second product line designed specifically to satisfy customers seeking healthier options. The Simply Delicious line features six great-tasting varieties of premium, 97-98% fat-free lunchmeat certified by the American Heart Association as a heart-healthy food. www.landofrost.com     

National Beef Packing Co.

With its approximately 7,800 employees, the National Beef Packing Co. processes and markets fresh beef, case-ready beef and beef by-products for domestic and international markets. Based in Kansas City, Mo., it has operations in Liberal, Dodge City and Kansas City, Kan.; Hummels Wharf, Penn.; Moultrie, Ga.; and St. Joseph, Mo. www.nationalbeef.com 

National Pork Board

Officials with the National Pork Board (NPB) are going to be stressing to retailers that 2015 is expected to be another successful year for the pork industry.

“According to the USDA’s Hogs & Pigs Report, we will have a good supply of fresh pork, especially during the second half of the year,” says Patrick Fleming, director of retail marketing, for the Des Moines, Iowa-based NPB. “Retailers can feel confident about supply this year. Pork will be a good value for consumers. We encourage retailers to feature fresh pork products consistently through the year to keep pork top-of-mind with consumers—and on the center of their plate.” www.pork.org

Perdue Foods

Many consumers are increasingly interested in how their food is raised and where it comes from. That is why Perdue Foods is expanding its Perdue Simply Smart brand into the fresh chicken category. Perdue Simply Smart has always followed a simple philosophy:  simple ingredients for products that are simply nutritious with simply great taste, say company officials. All Perdue Simply Smart products are USDA process verified for being made with chickens that are raised cage-free on farms in the U.S., never given any antibiotics and fed an all-vegetarian diet with no animal by-products.

“We are excited to leverage our fresh chicken leadership and consumers’ trust of Perdue, in introducing Perdue Simply Smart with a new full assortment of fresh tray-packed chicken, as well as new value-added products like fresh ground chicken and fresh refrigerated carved strips,” says Eric Christianson, senior vice president of marketing and innovation for the Salisbury, Md.-based company. “We expect consumer demand for ‘no antibiotics ever’ to continue to fuel category growth, and we are proud to be leaders in premium protein as we help drive retailer growth with this incremental opportunity.” www.perdueretailtrade.com   

Sealed Air

Retailers face added pressure to preserve revenue while concurrently meeting growing consumer demand for more sustainable, case-ready meat and poultry packaging. Sealed Air’s latest expansion of its Cryovac Darfresh vacuum packaging technologies offers merchandising and waste reduction efficiency for retailers and enhanced quality for consumers, say officials for the Duncan, S.C.-based company.

Designed in conjunction with Harpak’s Mondini Trave tray-sealing technology, the Cryovac Darfresh on Tray package preserves protein quality through a tight vacuum seal that extends shelf life while offering consumers greater long-term storage flexibility without sacrificing taste or quality, officials add.

The packaging also features a smooth, skin-tight fit optimal for 3-D vertical product display and standout merchandising within the increasingly crowded meat case, say officials. www.sealedair.com/foodcare

SugarCreek Packing Co.

SugarCreek Packing Co. produces a diverse line of raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) products that serve a broad range of markets including supermarkets.

The Washington Court House, Ohio-based company is an independent processor of bacon and among the nation’s top three manufacturers of RTE turkey bacon and meatballs. SugarCreek is poised to expand its RTE product lines when its $120 million processing plant opens in Cambridge City, Ind. in July 2015, say company officials. The new plant will be the nation’s largest processing facility for Sous Vide, an increasingly popular preparation option that involves cooking vacuum-packed foods in a temperature-controlled water bath. www.sugarcreek.com     

Sugardale Foods

Sugardale Foods has nearly 100 years of history and heritage as a leading provider of high-quality smoked and processed meats, say officials with the Canton, Ohio-based company. Attendees can learn that the company’s commitment to quality has enabled it to grow into a nationwide suppler of bacon, ham, hot dogs, deli and luncheon meats, dry sausage and other specialty meat products.

Sugardale services customers in both the retail and foodservice industries, including major grocery chains and well-known restaurants and foodservice operators.

At this year’s tasting reception, Sugardale invites attendees to stop by its bacon bar booth to see and taste a variety of sliced bacon products. Sugardale will also be displaying a variety of items from other meat categories, including hams, dry sausage and hot dogs. www.sugardale.com 

Tyson Fresh Meats

During the Product Tasting Reception, Tyson Fresh Meats will be offering samples of its new Tyson Crafted Creations brand Beef Skirt Steak with Smokey Chili Sauce, a pre-seasoned and marinated beef product that is smothered in savory smokey chili sauce and vacuum-sealed in leak-proof packaging for maximum freshness.

The Dakota Dunes, S.D.-based Tyson Fresh Meats will also be sampling Tyson Crafted Creations Pork Shoulder for Carnitas, a lean, pre-seasoned pork product packaged in a ready-to-go, cook-in-bag with easy instructions. Consumers simply place the cook-in-bag in a slow cooker or regular oven. Pork Carnitas offers consumers juicy, flavorful pork that is effortless to prepare and simple to clean up, say officials. www.TysonFreshMeats.com