Meat+Poultry - July 2018 - ground beef - 26

RE TA IL & FOOD SERVIC E TR END S

On the retail side, in the last few years we've
expanded operational capacity for specialty
fresh patties and have developed, and launched,
a full line of mix-in patties, premium source
grind patties, blended patties and sliders. As a
result of our extensive consumer and category
research, we can identify what product mix will
perform best for a retailer given their consumer
demographics and geographical location. 
Additionally, our specialty patty products have
been formulated to maximize product appearance, shelf life and flavor. We continue to innovate in this category to drive retailer success and
meet ever-changing consumer needs. Recently,
we launched two new mix-in patty flavors for this
summer: bourbon barbecue cheddar and loaded
Italian style, in addition to a new tri-tip patty and
TGI Fridays branded mushroom Swiss frozen
patties. We believe innovation will continue and
we have several new products in our development pipeline for Spring/Summer 2019.

and bacon continue to prove popular as they
have experienced year-over-year growth for
the past few years, based research data. Other
research indicates 37 percent of people prefer
burgers that are not plain and simple, and our
mix-in patties deliver just that. This area has
been a focus for us and we've developed a portfolio of fresh mix-in patties ranging from the typical offerings of bacon cheddar and steakhouseseasoned to adventurous flavors such as loaded
Italian style and bourbon barbecue cheddar.
M + P: How are consumers' changing expectations
for better burgers and ground beef products reflected in Cargill's operations at foodservice and retail?
Shaw: Demand for fresh, never frozen, ground
beef is currently resulting in significant impact
to our operations as we make the shift to a
greater volume of fresh ground beef patties. We
are continually monitoring shifts in demand and
looking at ways to right-size our operations to
ensure we have the optimal assortment of products for our customers.

26

2018 GROUND BEEF TRENDS + TECHNOLOGY MEAT+ POULTRY

Cargill's TNT burger
patties offer foodservice customers premium
burger patties made
from a proprietary
recipe and process.

M + P: With the rise in the number of plant-based
burgers on the market (both at retail and in foodservice) what can meat companies do to encourage
traditional burger consumption?
Shaw: To keep the excitement sizzling for traditional 100 percent beef patties, we've created
flavors from around the world, use a variety of
grinds from numerous familiar and popular cuts of
beef and are increasing production of fresh patties
that are never frozen.
Meeting the differing needs of burger
consumers is important for us to support overall burger consumption. Burger blends from both
ground beef and non-animal protein is a great
example of filling a marketplace need for both
our customers and consumers. 
M + P: As a meat company, is Cargill concerned
about the push toward plant-based meats?
Shaw: We believe alternative proteins complement our traditional animal protein business
and will help meet the overall protein needs of
a global population that will surpass 9 billion by
2050. We will need all forms of protein to meet the
increasing demand. Cultured meat and plant-based
proteins are part of that equation. Nevertheless,
we want to underscore our commitment to traditional meat sources and point out that we have
invested nearly $900 million in that part of our
North American protein business over the past few
years to grow and meet both current and future
demand.
Meat+Poultry - July 2018

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