Consumers’ ever-growing need for convenience is driving strong deli meat sales — both packaged and behind-the-counter.

For Dietz & Watson, grab-and-go deli meats are accounting for about 41% of the company’s sales in 2025, said Steve Riley, communications and partnership manager.

“It’s grown steadily since 2019, pre-Covid. There is still a sustainable mix of behind-the-glass and grab-and-go across a majority of retailers.”

In addition to grab-and-go, prepared meals is enjoying surging popularity, Riley said.

“We continue to put special thought into partnering with retailers to develop premium meal solutions with Dietz & Watson products — sandwiches, entrees, and more — that cater to consumer demand for quality and variety in convenient, and ready-to-eat formats.”

In today’s business climate, Dietz & Watson has a “special opportunity,” Riley said, to lean more heavily into its core pillar of transparency, while talking about how the company has been doing things the right way since 1939.

As an example, Dietz & Watson recently released an online plant tour so that the public can see first-hand what goes into the making of its sliced meats and other premium deli items.