Ground pork is still trending, and experts say it’s ready for liftoff.
With a $51-billion refrigerated ground meat category, building demand for this versatile and tasty product is a great way to spur pork sales. In an Insight to Action article, Angie Krieger, vice president of domestic marketing at the National Pork Board, says the ground segment in any fresh meat operation is big business.
During the pandemic, more consumers purchased ground pork than they had during the prior 12 months. From March through July, ground pork brought in the highest percentage of new shoppers to the ground segment compared to other ground meats.
As consumers looked for ways to add variety to their weekly line-up, ground pork played perfectly into so many recipes and flavors, says Neal Hull, director of channel marketing at the National Pork Board.
Today, pork accounts for 14% of the ground meat category and its growth is outpacing its poultry counterparts. Experts say ground pork demand is growing. According to IRI Market Landscape data, the $173 million of sales is proof of this rising popularity. The ground pork segment has taken new share of the entire pork category with 18% growth.
What’s the Hold-Up?
One of the challenges for ground pork is getting more of it on the shelves. An IRI Innovation Opportunity study showed that adding just six additional items per store would result in 41% more sales, bringing the category an additional $71 million.
How do we move more ground pork product? Ground beef is a prime example, Krieger says. Between the various lean-to-fat ratios, packaging types and value-add options, there are 24.9 average items weekly per store being sold. The ground pork alternative has 2.4. That poses a big opportunity for growth.
Another challenge facing the ground pork category is determining where it should be sold in the store. A National Pork Board market study found two intriguing dynamics when it came to where consumers expect to find ground pork in the store.
The study showed new buyers – but buyers who already purchase other meats – expect to find it a pork variety in the ground section because it’s easier to compare against other ground meat options as they look at substitutes, prices and recipe options.
Krieger says this “block set” approach has a “block and tackle” strategy: Place it as close to beef or turkey so new consumers discover it and try it out.
“However, there is one caveat worth noting,” Krieger says. “Existing buyers expect to find products with all other fresh pork products. This more traditional, ‘integrated set’ strategy relies on shoppers going directly to their desired protein section and finding all the pork options in one spot.”
Ultimately, ground pork has to be visible, Hull says. The National Pork Board continues to work with retailers to encourage them to merchandise a set around this trending product.
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