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Fresh Perspectives: Premium pork delivers on consumer demand for quality

August 10, 2023

U.S. consumers are hungry, and they have a growing appetite for high-quality meat.

According to The Power of Meat 2023 report, meat sales are at an all-time high, up 5.7% over the previous year. With rising sales, consumers continue to seek high-quality products: in fact, meat quality/appearance was the No. 1 factor in meat purchases last year. Furthermore, 57% of consumers said meat quality was a top reason for choosing where they purchase meat products.1

To help meat buyers capitalize on this trend, Prairie Fresh® introduced Prairie Fresh USA Prime®, a line of premium pork that is setting a new standard in the meat case and meeting consumer demand for restaurant-quality meal experiences at home.

“Prairie Fresh USA Prime is the best of our best – tender, juicy pork with every single bite,” said Pat Watkins, vice president, retail sales, Seaboard Foods. “We are excited to introduce this one-of-a-kind premium line of pork to meat buyers and share how we manage every step of the production process to ensure customers are getting the high-quality meat they’re hungry for.”

Best of the best

How good is Prairie Fresh USA Prime? It’s the top tier of all Prairie Fresh pork based on marbling, color and tenderness. Prairie Fresh USA Prime undergoes a three-step evaluation process that uses proprietary technology to measure quality attributes and sort top-tier cuts. These premium pork products deliver the rich, juicy flavor that consumers are looking for. In product development research, Prairie Fresh found that 71% of consumers are willing to pay more for quality.2

“Rolling out Prairie Fresh USA Prime to customers around the country, we are filling a void in the meat case that customers want filled,” Watkins said. “We’re also delivering value for our retailer partners by launching and supporting the brand to consumers.”

The Power of Meat report also highlighted consumer education on quality and production as an opportunity for the meat industry. Prairie Fresh USA Prime helps retailers educate their customers by including four compelling descriptors on fresh product packaging: USDA Process Verified, 100% All Natural, American Owned Farms, and Superior Tenderness. In the Prairie Fresh research, consumers rated each of these claims as “Very to Extremely Important” in driving purchase interest.

Connected for quality

Prairie Fresh can make these claims on product packaging because of its proprietary production process that enables the brand to maintain quality standards.

“We have a unique perspective on how pork should be raised and produced that we call The Prairie Fresh Way. It’s allowed us to deliver consistent quality for decades and now we’re elevating what quality means with Prairie Fresh USA Prime,” said Ozlem Worpel, vice president, marketing and innovation, Seaboard Foods. “We are shining a light on our approach to help meat buyers understand what’s behind the Prairie Fresh brand and how it will help their businesses.”

The Prairie Fresh Way starts with a connected food system where collaboration with farmer owners, processing plants and networked supply chain colleagues allows Prairie Fresh to control each step in the production process from farm to delivery.

Prairie Fresh USA Prime is available in fresh pork cuts desired by consumers and cooking enthusiasts: tenderloins, boneless loins, loin backribs, spareribs, and shoulder butts.

To learn more about how Prairie Fresh USA Prime can bring consumers to your meat case, visit prairiefreshway.com.

 

1The Power of Meat 2023 report.

2Prairie Fresh/Prairie Fresh USA Prime Audience Profiling Study, February 2020.

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MEDIA CONTACT

David Eaheart, APR

david.eaheart@seaboardfoods.com
913-261-2621