Consumers are more mindful and intentional than ever about what they put into their bodies as they try to live a healthy lifestyle. So, of course, what consumers want, operators look for when they scan distributors’ offerings.
Exceptional ingredient characteristics catch consumers’ attention. Seven in 10 consumers are more likely to purchase poultry products with the claims No Antibiotics Ever, Clean Label, Humanely Raised and Raised in the USA.1
As a distributor, drive your own profitability by catering to operators that seek to source these transparent/high-quality ingredients that can command higher price points.
Lead list with benefits
Already 42% of operators purchase poultry with the Raised in the USA claim, and 41% purchase No Antibiotics Ever products.2 Their purchases mirror the desires of their guests. Consumers (51%) believe No Antibiotics Ever is the most important product claim, followed by Clean Label (50%).1
Knowing this, benefit-led products should be easy to find on a mindful distributor’s order guide. Scout out suppliers that are upfront with the ingredients, as more and more consumers and operators demand transparency.
Perdue Foodservice is forthright with product claims in the name of its items. For example: PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® NO ANTIBIOTICS EVER, BONELESS, SKIN-ON AIRLINE BREAST FILETS AND DRUMETTE ATTACHED, 8-10 OZ., FROZEN.
The company also offers turkey products like PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® NO ANTIBIOTICS EVER READY TO COOK, GROUND TURKEY BREAST MEAT, FROZEN, 5 LBS CHUB.
Tiered lists help
As everyone knows, premium products command premium prices. But what is the price threshold? At least two-thirds of operators are willing to pay up to 5% more for products labeled Clean Label, No Antibiotics Ever, Free Range and/or Humanely Raised.2 At least one-quarter are willing to pay up to 10% more for products with the claims Clean Label, No Antibiotics Ever, Humanely Raised and Organic.2
But not all mindful characteristics are equal in importance or value to consumers or operators. A layered list would be useful in giving operators the power of choice. Perdue Foodservice leads this charge with its Tiers of Value. Its poultry products span four tiers within its branding: no claims; PERDUE® NO ANTIBIOTICS EVER (which includes all-vegetarian fed); PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® (featuring no antibiotics ever, all vegetarian fed and clean label); and PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® ORGANIC (adding non-GMO and free range).
Improve profitability
Similarly, as a distributor, make it easy for operators to identify products by value and claims. But first, don’t assume that operators fully understand the claims. Provide definitions. In a survey, operators were given full descriptions of a list of premium terms. Afterward, they were asked how seeing the claim on a chicken or turkey product would impact their purchasing decision. At least two-thirds of them would be more likely to purchase products labeled Clean Label (70%); No Antibiotics Ever (69%); Raised in the USA (67%); and Humanely Raised (66%).2
Finally, encourage the connection between what operators order and what they convey to the consumer, who is the ultimate purchaser. Transparency is the key to consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price. Some 73% of consumers would be more likely to pay more for a product they believe to be more transparent, while some brands reported as much as 20% return on transparency initiatives.3
Above all, don’t underestimate the power of premium claims. Consumers who care about living a healthy lifestyle are more likely to eat chicken three to four times per week.1 Help your operators to choose and position poultry for the highest profits for all.
Sources
- Perdue Premium Poultry Claims, consumer research, May 2022
- Perdue Premium Poultry Claims, operator research, July 2022
- Oliver, Catlin, “Third-party Certification Programs Deliver on Consumer Demand for Transparency,” Natural Products Insider, Jan. 9, 2020, https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/claims/third-party-certification-programs-deliver-consumer-demand-transparency