The growth in grassfed beef sales at retail appears to have "locked in" even after the wild pandemic-influenced boom that was 2020. Compared to 2019 sales data through IRI, 2021 saw dollar sales of grass-fed beef increase 29.0% while volume sales increased 21.1%.1 Now comfortably above 100M pounds per annum, the state of grass-fed beef sales in the U.S. is strong and on the rise.
For retailers, the summer grilling season is a prime opportunity to capitalize on these trends at the meat case.
The grass is greener
Grassfed beef's appeal is broad, reaching both consumers driven by environmental concerns, and those looking for premium quality. Interestingly, the intuitive animal welfare benefits of grassfed beef are the most powerful driver, according to recent research by Midan Marketing. Consumers understand grassfed beef as better for their health and for the animals. They expect antibiotic free and no-added-hormones claims to be part of the grassfed package. They also rank those benefits as the most important sustainability attributes when it comes to their purchase decision.2
Successful retailers source product that ticks these boxes to maximize the grassfed beef opportunity. Look for traceability, shelf life, and of course consistent eating quality. A strong, multi-dimensional sustainability profile helps with merchandising, and lets you feature the benefits that appeal most to your shopper, from Omega-3s to antibiotic-free.
3 keys to growing your grassfed beef sales:
- Make it Prominent. Many meat sections are behind consumer demand for higher quality, sustainable offerings like grassfed beef. Job one is to add assortment – ground and ribeye are a smart place to start – and make it easy to find.
- Accentuate the Fundamentals. Activate the built-in drivers for grassfed beef sales by emphasizing grassfed beef as an "upgrade" in taste, sustainability, and nutrition. Beef is nature's multivitamin, with 12 essential nutrients!
- Sell with the season. Showcase recipes in-store and online that meet consumers where they are – at the grill. From seasonal burger builds to grilled steaks, grassfed beef is a natural fit for summer cooking.
Grassfed beef from Australia brings the added value of consistent supply and volume, a world-leading grassfed beef eating quality grading system, and a seriously strong sustainability story. Many Aussie beef producers are already carbon-neutral with the whole industry on track to hit those targets by 2030. Get the facts at RedMeatGreenFacts.com.
True Aussie Beef & Lamb (the global brand for Meat & Livestock Australia) represents the Australian beef and lamb industry globally, and aims to educate and inspire home cooks and food enthusiasts on the USA's number one source of high quality, all-natural and sustainable lamb and grassfed beef. And yes, that is Australian lamb and grassfed beef! Australian meats are readily available to retailers nationwide, and we stand ready to add value with shopper insights, marketing promotions and pilot tests. Drop us a line at [email protected]
- IRI, Integrated Fresh, MULO, 52 Weeks Ending 12/26/2021
- Midan Marketing, Sustainably Raised Meat Insights Report, July 2021