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New Convenient Beef Products Being Explored In 2009
Never before have the signs been more obvious describing the issues surrounding today’s consumer:
• Time pressed consumers chose convenience over all other factors for food, such as healthfulness, price & taste*
• 65% try to eat healthier, but 33% don’t have the time to prepare or eat healthy meals*
• 47% of consumers say they would likely use curbside takeout if their favorite tableservice restaurant offered it**
• 19% of all meals are now eaten inside cars***
• 21% of children 6-17 are overweight****
- Expected to rise to 33% by 2020
The key to increased beef consumption is the development of new products that are convenient and those that also appeal to today’s youth. Research into these areas has yielded in over 50 new beef products that consumer panels have tested in the past year.
Recent work by the Beef Innovations Group and industry experts led to the development of two product platforms that will drive new product commercialization efforts in 2009:
The Bread Carrier platform utilizes doughs, wraps, bakeable coatings, etc., as a carrier of steak, shredded beef, hamburgers, and other beef products. The focus will be items that beef owns because of its equity or products that do not lend themselves to other proteins.
The Steak/Burger Extension platform works to expand the presence of steak, steak products, and hamburgers in the channels by increasing the number of applications or use either through stand-alone products or as ingredients in manufactured products.
Sales opportunities exist across both platforms for new beef products as a:
• Breakfast item
• Convenient, on-the-go solution
• Snack/appetizer or “fourth meal”
Developing unique, cutting-edge products that contain beef as a filling is key to providing operators and retailers the potential for increased sales and menu differentiation. Innovations in packaging and processing technology are allowing for quick and easy preparation methods that meet the needs to today’s busy consumers - either while they are running errands or at home.
By working with manufacturers, foodservice operators, retailers and food scientists, the Beef Innovations Group expects to launch 2-4 new products by the fall of 2009. To learn more about how to capitalize on these new product opportunities, contact Steve Wald, Director of New Product Development, at swald@beef.org or call him at 303-850-3315.
* On-The-Go Eating in the U.S.: Consumer, Foodservice, Retailing & Marketing Trends Report, Packaged Facts, 2007
** National Restaurant Association, 2008 Restaurant Industry Forecast
*** The NRN Top 50: The most important meal, Nations Restaurant News, January 20, 2008
**** “Healthy Kids Report II: Implementing the Better-For-You Standard”, IRI, 2008
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