According to the latest USDA forecast for turkey production, during the first six months of 2011, turkey meat production was 5.5 percent higher than the same period in 2010 (2.9 billion pounds).
Fresh pork occupies a unique, positive position in today’s retail meat case. Despite a tough economy and input costs that have spiraled upward for pork producers in 2011, the category is performing positively.
Tremendous progress has been made in providing consumers with food that is consistently safe. Credit for this success is shared among industry, innovators, researchers, public-health surveillance and regulators (yes, regulators most certainly deserve a piece of the credit).
Packers and processors put safety and integrity of the product first. As such, that is the top priority of major slicing operations, and companies have many other key attributes to a well-sliced protein.
Two reasons supermarket delis were successful last year were because they were able to keep price increases manageable and they were able to innovate, says Jonna Parker, account services director at the Perishables Group, Chicago. For example, more retailers began offering bundling and combo options to create convenience.