Our latest categorywatching report has landed on trendhub, bringing together the trends and findings that we've been tracking across Meat & Poultry over the past months.
Alongside many of us looking to increase plant-based foods in our diets and cut down on meat, the category also can be perceived as expensive. Amidst the cost of living crisis, meat and poultry volume sales fell by approximately -13% YOY in the 4 weeks until April 23rd 2022 (Nielson 2022) - meat and alcohol look to be the first things that customers cut back on.
Rising fuel and feed costs mean that even intensively farmed and ultra-processed meat looks to be more costly. Locally sourced meat and vegetables on the other hand tend to clock up fewer food miles and have appeal from a regenerative perspective.
Cheaper cuts such as pork belly, shoulder and slow cooked beef cheeks tend to be more affordable, and Argentinian-style barbecuing means that a 50-day dry-aged Picanha steak (rump cap) is delicious.
To give you a better gauge of what you can expect in the full Categorywatching report, we've shared three key takeouts below. Then find out at the bottom of the article how you can access the Meat & Poultry report in full.
1. Look elsewhere – Whether it's looking to cheaper cuts of meat, or back in time to traditional recipes such as meatloaf, and ham hock terrines, more affordable recipes (with bags of flavour) trend - Think cumin beef cheek tacos or grilled jerk pork belly ladled with a hot sauce.
2. Regenerative – Given the rising costs in fuel and energy, even prices of intensively farmed and highly processed meat look to be going up. Locally farmed meat on the other hand, may still tend to be more expensive, however, interest in regenerative initiatives for both land and community are high. Cull Yaw chops that are farmed using techniques such as rotational animal grazing and cover crops make welcome back stories as well as being delicious.
3. Big on Flavour – Global recipe inspiration such as Brazilian coxinhas (deep fried balls of dough filled with shredded ham or chicken and cheese) bring affordable authenticity, and simple sauces deliver in terms of flavour such as a pork chop served with Korean pesto.
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trendhub subscribers can access the full Meat & Poultry menuwatching report here. If you're not subscribed but are interested to find out more then complete the form below and we'll get back to you.