Technologies that cut producers’ operating expenses while enhancing product quality are increasingly attractive. 

Keeping meat and poultry safe during the grinding, mixing and stuffing processes can be difficult.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. consumer purchase behavior has shifted to more retail and less foodservice, and ground products have been go-to-products for people sheltering in place. In turn, increased demands to meet production needs are challenging processors to keep grinding and stuffing equipment highly operational at top speeds.

When Sierra Meat and Seafood recently went looking for new grinding equipment, the company needed it to be easy to operate and very reliable.

Such factors as the versatility of ground meats in a wide range of recipes, the increasing popularity of ethnic meals that leverage ground meats and the typically lower prices of grinds compared with other protein cuts is bolstering consumer interest in the proteins.