Prairie Fresh Turns Up the Heat in Pork Sales
Demand for bold flavors is heating up across America. Always on the forefront of flavor tracking, Prairie Fresh® pork produced by Seaboard Foods is delivering a bold new entry to its pre-seasoned pork loin filets with its new Nashville Hot flavor.
The timing is perfect — demand for Nashville Hot-flavored products is rising by triple digits, according to Datassential.
Progressive Grocer talked with Ryan Barnett, market insights manager for Seaboard Foods, about evolving consumers’ palates, what’s driving the quest for zesty flavors and how Prairie Fresh Signature Nashville Hot pork loin filet can spice up sales.
Progressive Grocer: How do you explain shifting consumer preferences to bolder flavors?
Ryan Barnett: There are several motivators. International travel has picked up again after COVID. People visit countries and return with a desire to experience those foods again, and many have a spice element. The more globalization continues, the more Americans are exposed to diverse cuisines, and they look for ways to incorporate them into their core menu at home.
We keep a close eye on the foodservice segment, where we see foreign-based operators entering the American market, or U.S.-based restaurants adding a spicy element to their menus. That exposure introduces people to a wide variety of flavor profiles.
PG: What’s happening regarding meals at home versus dining out?
RB: Inflation is driving many changes. With the rising costs of dining at restaurants, more people are dining in — 4.6 out of seven dinners are consumed at home. At some point, boredom is going to kick in. You don’t want to have the same meals every week. People are looking for adventure and excitement in their meals, and are taking inspiration from their favorite restaurant meals. In fact, according to “The Power of Meat” 2023 report, 87% of people say that they replicate their favorite recipes at home.
Americans are also looking to save time. Seventy-three percent of consumers are buying value-added meats and poultry, up from 37% in 2016. They seek options that save them time and avoid the need to buy 10-15 ingredients to make a meal. Customers are looking for pre-marinated products and easy-to-prepare meals, without sacrificing on quality. Shoppers trust Prairie Fresh to consistently deliver quality cuts of meat, meaning that customers can be confident they’ll put a quality dish on their family’s table.
PG: What’s Prairie Fresh doing to meet these needs?
RB: Our new Prairie Fresh Signature Nashville Hot flavor pre-seasoned pork loin filets address customers’ desires. With our Prairie Fresh Signature products, there is no need to marinate — we’ve done it for them. Meals are ready without requiring multiple items and a lot of preparation.
The Nashville Hot flavor has a proven track record in other segments, so we thought “why not pork?” The flavor profile also scores high with consumers as far as intent to buy.
PG: What do grocers need to know about the basket-building potential of this new flavor profile?
RB: We have a great assortment in our existing Prairie Fresh Signature line, and we’re looking to bring incremental sales to the category. We hope shoppers continue to buy our other quality products but also pick up the new Nashville Hot flavor. Exciting new flavors also spur shopping frequency. We are always looking for new ways to keep shoppers engaged.
Source: The Power of Meat 2023
Find out how to kick up your sales with Prairie Fresh Signature Nashville Hot flavor pork loin filets at www.prairiefreshway.com.