When consumers think about flavor and spice, meat can be a bit of a blank canvas for their taste buds. That’s why seasonings and marinades are so important as they can transform a simple piece of meat into a flavor-packed dish.
A combination of inflation, a labor shortage and supply chain issues have caused consumers to cut back on spending in recent months. However, consumers are still wanting good quality meals and demand remains strong in most convenience meat segments as shoppers continue to look for easy ways to create their favorite meals.
Beef is a go-to American staple, and its popularity skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many home cooks sharpened their skills in the kitchen and people consolidated their grocery shopping into fewer trips while maintaining a freezer stash at home.
One of the largest impacts on poultry in 2022 has been the continued increase in demand, which of course saw a big rise in March of 2020 at the outskirts of the pandemic.
Bryan Quoc Le, a PhD-level food scientist and food industry consultant, noted that as simpler plant-based meat designs become saturated, such as meatballs, patties, ground meat, chicken nuggets, deli slices, and tenders, food companies are seeking to expand into other configurations and flavors.
Organic meat is booming. In the past year, organic meat sales have grown 37% versus two years ago, outpacing the meat department, which grew 20%, according to Nielsen data.
