Consumers’ enhanced appreciation for fresh foods and convenience at a reasonable value has kept supermarket delis a top destination for protein purchases.
In 2010, deli meats recorded sales of around $4.5 billion in the food channel, excluding Walmart, reports the Perishables Group, Chicago. Last year, deli meat, including pre-sliced meats, posted dollar sales up 4 percent and volume that was relatively flat with a 0.4 percent increase, the research firm says. Pre-sliced meat grew 9 percent in both dollar sales and volume last year, which is where a substantial amount of the gains were derived, says Jonna Parker, Perishables Group’s account services director.