A Can-Do Attitude
Traditionally, it has been thought that when the economy moves in one direction, sales of canned meat move the opposite way. But according to “Canned/Preserved Food in the US,” a January report from Euromonitor, London, sales of canned/preserved meat and meat products rose in 2013, despite the fact that the U.S. economy grew throughout the year.
This reality could be because canned meat always has been seen as a convenience-minded product. And with the resurgence of home cooking — inspired by cooking shows — consumers are finding canned meat products perfect for easy use in the kitchen, says Mark Howell, vice president of sales and marketing with Stillmore, Ga.-based Crider Foods.
“[Cooking] has become a social event at home,” he explains, noting that brands are adding to canned meat’s convenience factor by printing “fun recipe suggestions” on labeling.
Trends with traction
Canned meat products are no longer limited to the basic chicken and ham — today, brands are getting sophisticated with their offerings.
And with today’s food technology, retailers have a better chance than ever to create truly unique canned meat offerings. Howell notes that his company is expecting a number of unique canned protein items to be added to the category, including pulled pork, shredded chicken and meatballs. He also notes the anticipated addition of ethnic-focused proteins such as shredded fajita meat and taco meat to Crider’s offerings.
“We are also seeing existing items being extended with different flavor options,” he states. “Examples would be barbecue, Buffalo, chipotle, lemon pepper and teriyaki canned chicken.”
Euromonitor points to products that are fortified or have reduced sodium, fat or sugar as another area of opportunity, as their dollar and unit sales are growing faster than those of their standard counterparts.
And looking at packaging, multipacks of canned meat products are starting to make their way onto retailers’ shelves. As an example, Howell points to Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart and its canned chicken two-pack under the Great Value brand.
“Data shows that you see a little bit of cannibalization on the single SKU,” he points out. “But two-packs incrementally grew the overall business.”
Trends on the horizon
As concerns about traceability affect meat consumption, many brands in other countries have been striving to give consumers complete transparency with their processed meat products, according to the December 2013 “Category Insight: Meat, Poultry and Fish” report from global market researcher Mintel.
Looking to national brands in other meat categories for examples, France’s Iglo Group has promoted the traceability of its frozen processed meat products in Europe, including its Iglo Chicken, Cheese & Ham Cordon Bleus, while the UK’s Muddy Boots says its Muddy Boots Handmade Aberdeen Angus Beef Burgers with Carmelised Onion & Mozzarella are made using fully traceable Aberdeen Angus beef from trusted farmers.
And traceability is becoming more important to U.S. consumers, including those who purchase canned meat.
“Brands [across the globe] should be utilizing technology, including QR codes and social media, to provide consumers with more modern methods of tracing the exact source of their products,” the report states.
“We are also seeing existing items being extended with different flavor options. Examples would be barbecue, Buffalo, chipotle, lemon pepper and teriyaki canned chicken.”
— Mark Howell, vice president of sales and marketing, Crider Foods