Red meat needs image of quality
Red meat needs image of quality
RED meat needs to refocus its retailing strategy and upgrade from the bargain basement market it caters for and concentrate on value added, premium markets.
The re-branding of red meat should make it more synonymous with caviar than cheap mince, implied David Hughes, Sainsburys professor of food marketing at Wye College, University of London.
He told delegates at the recent MLC Outlook 2001 conference that he expected the food chain to cater for two distinct income groups by 2010 – the haves and the have-nots.
About two-thirds of the UK population would be categorised as wealthy and they would buy food on quality and convenience.
For high earners, features such as quality, safety and the "romance of the story" behind the product would be the driving reasons behind purchases. "There is a fair proportion of the market that is now saying I want to pay more for better quality food," he said.
He predicted there would be more and more fragmentation in the market, with new, value-driven outlets emerging dominated by long-term planning and partnerships.
Red meat production in the UK should develop in this area, rather than price-driven commodity markets, which would be supplied by more cost-effective competitors. *
UKRETAILINGIN 2010
• Fewer supermarkets – three to six global retailers.
• Well-organised exporters with copy cat attributes of high health and welfare standards.
• Green products part of mid-week meal solutions.