Early Returns Positive For Lidl's New Butcher's Specialty
Shoppers at all Lidl U.S. stores now have access to its Butcher’s Specialty line of private label meats. The assortment, which launched in late 2024, includes USDA Choice beef, organic beef, grass-fed beef, antibiotic-free chicken, all-natural pork, lamb and veal.
“Butcher’s Specialty is more than just a name, it’s a promise,” said Tod Seiling, vice president of Fresh Buying at Lidl US. “We heard our customers’ need for high-quality, low-priced meat options, and we’ve delivered that with our curated collection. Butcher’s Specialty prioritizes freshness and superior cuts, all without shortcuts or additives.”
Store Brands spoke with Seiling about the new line, the grocer’s decision to offer a selection of meat under a single own brand, and what’s next for the brand.
STORE BRANDS: What factors inspired the development of Butcher’s Specialty, and what work went into ensuring the new assortment fits within Lidl’s broader private label strategy?
TOD SEILING: When I first came to Lidl US about 18 months ago to oversee the fresh operations, one of the first things on the agenda was improving our offering. We needed to recreate everything, from the assortment to the packaging environments, our go-to-market strategy and pricing. Our goal was to relaunch our selection in a private label brand that aligns with everything else Lidl does in center store.
SB: Butcher’s Specialty includes a number of products under the brand, from different types of meat to options such as USDA Choice, organic, grass-fed and antibiotic-free. How challenging was it to create the variety Lidl is now offering?
TS: Our strategy with Butcher’s Specialty is to have just one brand in our fresh meat department. This allows us to maintain a consistent message with the consumer and gives shoppers something familiar to come back to. As for the products, there are some carryovers from items we’ve had great success with in the past, such as organics and grass-fed beef. We also worked closely with our supply partners, using industry data and market trends to understand what our customers like and want as we rounded out our meat offering.
SB: In working with suppliers, what were Lidl’s rules of engagement to ensure confidence in product quality across the assortment?
TS: That was one of the main reasons I wanted this to be a private label program. Working collaboratively with our partners allowed us to set the specifications for every aspect of the line, so we can be confident we’re offering great quality products. We needed to ensure we could deliver great value while hitting the right price points. That included quality considerations such as the thickness and trim of the meat, package size and other details that support our value and quality equation. With a case-ready program like this, we didn’t want to simply ride along a supplier’s existing production line. This program lets us tailor every cut in our assortment.
SB: Is there any anticipation of how the new line could impact how shoppers view Lidl’s meat selection and private label products overall?
TS: The first products from Butcher’s Specialty started hitting shelves in late fall of 2024, and consumer acceptance has been fantastic. They’re seeing consistency in the product itself, as well as in the packaging, branding and storytelling. The reception from shoppers has exceeded what I originally anticipated.
SB: Has Lidl received any feedback from consumers about the new line?
TS: To my knowledge, we haven’t received a lot of direct feedback, but I take that as a good sign. What we are seeing is repeat purchases, which is always good news.
SB: How is Lidl promoting Butcher’s Specialty?
TS: We have signage at point of sale, and each week we’re running digital campaigns specific to the category, whether it’s ground beef, USDA Choice beef or our all-natural pork. We’re going to continue highlighting the program and keeping it front and center.
SB: Is there any thought at this point about using the Butcher’s Specialty brand on complementary products such as barbecue sauces or rubs?
TS: We’ve had some conversations with different supply partners about that. This is another reason we wanted to stick with one brand name in the meat case. While we may highlight different attributes across the line, the brand is always going to be Butcher’s Specialty.
