The nation's foremost American pioneer in premium hand-cut halal meat and poultry products, Crescent Foods, has announced the addition of new preprinted film packages to celebrate its more than 25 years in business. The company's new packages, available now, are designed to give retailers more merchandising flexibility, reduce excess packaging materials, and to improve consumer shopping experiences. With a rebranded look and feel, visual cues help consumers identify the company's beef, lamb, turkey and chicken offerings with a more prominently displayed hand-cut halal seal; and color-coded packages indicate different chicken meat types (dark or light) and cuts to help make selection easier for recipes. These highly visual attributes better direct consumers to products that address personal values and preferences.

“The opportunity for retailers is now for multiple reasons,” said Pete Eckes, vice president of business development for Crescent Foods. “A growing American Muslim population means an increasingly strong interest in halal products. And with an uncompromising focus on the values of responsible animal welfare and assurances of product safety, quality, and purity, we also meet the needs of conscientious consumers, everywhere,” said Eckes. Trends Eckes referred to make a strong case for retailers' attention. 

Consider these few:

• The halal food market in the U.S. is poised to grow by $8.17 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 5% during the forecast period.
• A higher than average share of American Muslims is relatively young, with one-third being 30 years old or younger. This captures highly sought-after GEN Y consumers, with GEN Z to quickly follow.
• More than one-third of consumers frequently buy meat, poultry, and other foods with the more rigorous 'no antibiotics ever' claim.

Crescent Foods hand-cut Halal products address these trends:

• All Natural, minimally processed, fresh beef, lamb, turkey (seasonally) and chicken products.
• Free range, grass-fed beef and lamb with increased, beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in meat.
• Chickens fed a vegetable- and grain-based diet—meaning, no animal by products.
• A higher halal standard of hand-cut when processing.
• No antibiotics ever.
• Gluten free.
• No added hormones.
• A broad array of chicken products includes pre-seasoned, marinated chicken breast fillets in multiple varieties, chicken breast fillets and tenders, boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, whole chicken and 100 percent all-white meat ground chicken.
• Smaller, whole turkeys come in preprinted film bags, with a convenient pop-up timer, at an average target weight of 12 to 15 pounds. With the country experiencing a shortage of smaller turkeys in 2020, Crescents Foods' Hand-Cut Halal turkeys are now available to order for the 2021 Thanksgiving holiday season.

Crescent Foods products are distributed, nationwide, through large retailers, foodservice providers, as well as regional, specialty retailers. Fresh chicken is available in 1.25-pound packages, with smaller, more tender whole chicken offered at around 3.5 pounds. Suggested retail prices (SRPs) vary, with an average SRP of $3.99 per pound. 

Marketing & Sales Support
According to the company's marketing and innovations director, Amna Haq, Crescent Foods offers a robust range of marketing support and tools, which includes "customized marketing programs, tailored specifically to the retailer or foodservice provider." Additional offerings include, but are not limited to:

• A consumer-facing website with the Crescent Foods story and store locator.
• Direct-to-consumer, e-commerce purchase and delivery of products.
• Point of Sale (POS) materials, including education about halal food.
• In-store demos.
• Coupons and special offers.
• Digital and social media promotions and engagement.
• Consumer care support.
• Grassroots community efforts and sponsorships.

“We hope those thinking about carrying halal meat and poultry products for the first time, or adding to their current offerings, give us a try.  With Crescent Foods' ability to provide a variety of animal proteins, we are truly a one-stop-shop for both customers and consumers. This value, along with our experience, knowledge and expertise makes us a ready, willing, and able partner. Customers can count on us to help them grow this business, through education about hand-cut halal meat products and the marketing support they need most,” Haq concluded.

Source: Crescent Foods