New Meat, Poultry and Seafood Products

Prepared Foods showcases new meat, poultry and seafood products hitting the shelves in October 2018.

 

Perdue Farms Incorporated, Salisbury, Md., says its new PERDUE SIMPLY SMART Organics brand breaks the price barrier consumers often face with organics. Although no suggested retail pricing was immediately available, Perdue says its frozen, fully-cooked breaded chicken products will be priced to sell for approximately half—or less-of the average of what consumers can typically expect to pay for competitive organic products from other leading brands. 

“This introduces an unprecedented level of affordability for organic products in the frozen foods section, with no compromise in organic standards, convenience or taste,” the company says.

Debuting this October, the PERDUE SIMPLY SMART Organics product lineup includes whole grain, certified gluten-free and lightly breaded varieties of nuggets, strips and tenders in the frozen and refrigerated foods sections. Officials say all products are made with simple ingredients consumers can pronounce, recognize and easily find in their home pantry or grocery store. Moreover, PERDUE SIMPLY SMART products contain 25% less fat and most have 50% fewer calories compared to USDA data for breaded, fried boneless chicken, says Perdue.

“The growth in organic continues to outpace the rest of the food market, so this is clearly something consumers want. PERDUE SIMPLY SMART products already emphasize ‘better-for-you’ attributes, such as lightly breaded, simple ingredients and nothing artificial,” says Eric Christianson, Perdue chief marketing officer. “Now we’re going to offer consumers certified organic at prices that are more affordable.”

 

After its 2016 start-up with a line of seafood kits, LoveTheWild, Boulder, Colo., has come back with four seafood Microwaveable Bowl entrees.

“Americans don’t eat enough seafood. The average American consumes just 16lbs of seafood per capita each year, compared to 100lbs per capita in Japan,” notes Co-Founder Jacqueline Claudia. “Eating more fish has been shown to reduce heart disease, improve chronic conditions, promote glowing skin, boost concentration, joint health and eyesight—among other important benefits. Yet many Americans are intimidated by cooking fish. It can be expensive, unfamiliar, and tricky to get right.”

Claudia says LoveTheWild is solving this problem and creating more occasions to enjoy seafood with their new affordable, restaurant-quality offerings. LoveTheWild’s new namesake Microwavable Bowls include Sweet & Spicy Korean BBQ Bowl with Salmon, Craft Ale Scampi Bowl with Shrimp, Baja Style Fish Taco Bowl with Barramundi, and Hawaiian Style Tropical Bowl with Barramundi. 

Claudia adds that LoveTheWild only uses seafood from the world’s most sustainable farms. Each farm must meet rigorous sustainability standards, including using sustainable feed formulations, management practices that keep fish healthy (without unnecessary antibiotics), and environmental stewardship. All of LoveTheWild’s products also are non-GMO, free from added hormones, dyes, antibiotics, and preservatives.

The offerings carry a suggested retail price of $5.99-$6.99 and a 9oz (255g) single-serve package heats in a microwave in under five minutes.
“With no prep, planning, or clean up, the bowls empower people to love and eat more fish—whether it’s lunch at the office, a hearty snack, dinner before practice, or a separate meal for a picky eater,” says Claudia. “We believe these new single-serve frozen meals fill a significant gap in the marketplace.”

 

American Foods Group LLC, Green Bay, Wis., partnered with The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (“Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.”) and The Beef Checkoff Program to develop and distribute four bowl-based meal kits. Officials say the kits debuted this February in select stores and since have expanded this year to more than 1,500 stores, including one of the top five retailers.

Priced between $12.48 and $17.99, each beef meal kit feeds four to six people and delivers a hot meal at home in under 30 minutes and only one pan. The meal kits may be found in a supermarket retailer’s fresh meat department and each one features USDA choice beef—packaged raw with all of the ingredients needed to make several meal options: Korean Style Bulgogi Beef Bowl, Steak Burrito Bowl, Steak & Tzatziki Bowl or a Steak and Mash Bowl.

“Not just convenient, beef provides 10 essential nutrients including zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins, they are a healthy addition to any dinner table,” says NCBA. “The kits give the retail customer the opportunity to experience a meal kit or new flavor without a subscription.” 

“We are really excited to see these beef meal kits come to fruition,” adds Shenoa French, director of manufacturer engagement at NCBA, which serves as a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. understands that people want quick, delicious, healthy options and we are happy deliver that in one package that people can be excited to serve to their loved ones.”

 

Starkist Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., made its first foray outside the seafood space with new Starkist Chicken Creations, a line of four flavored premium white chicken offerings in the company’s signature ready-to-eat pouches.

Varieties include BOLD Buffalo Style, Ginger Soy, Zesty Lemon Pepper and Chicken Salad.

“After 100 years in the tuna business, we proudly announce that StarKist is now a diversified healthy food company,” says Andy Mecs, vice president of marketing and innovation. “It is our goal to provide convenient, healthy options that satisfy the palates and nutritional needs for all Americans.  Chicken Creations is a natural extension to our highly successful Tuna and Salmon Creations as we already have the pouch expertise and consumer trust in our high quality flavored protein products.  We are pleased that consumers will now have even more to love as they can Tear, Eat, and Go.”

Mecs says the new offerings feature chicken sourced from American farms—raised cage free and hormone free. He adds that as protein snacking is on the rise, StarKist Chicken Creations pouches feature a convenient, tear-open and no-drain design, a necessity for those always on the move.

The lean, low fat protein retails for approximately $1.75 per pouch.

 

Today’s consumer is looking for a premium food experience with bold flavor and culinary flair. That’s why Rosina Food Products, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., says it created a new line of frozen Rosina Oven Fired Artisan Meatballs.

Each of three varieties comes in a 16oz bag. Here’s how Rosina describes each variety.

Pineapple Chorizo Meatball: Made with simple, wholesome ingredients including fresh ground pork, spicy notes of serrano chili peppers, and hints of sweet pineapple, these meatballs provide a dynamic blend of sweet and spice. They’re perfect for a quick breakfast taco, crumbled into a queso dip, or grilled with a sweet chili sauce.

Smoky Maple Bacon Meatball: We start with premium – quality pork, then add applewood smoked bacon, and finish with sweet maple to create a sweet and savory flavor that is sure to please. Try them as a side dish for breakfast, paired with a honey mustard sauce on a slider, or added to your favorite barbecue pizza.

Tuscan-Style Veal Meatball: Crafted with authentic, Italian ingredients including veal, Parmesan and Romano cheese, and basil and oregano spices, these meatballs bring flavors to your kitchen. These meatballs come in a 1/2oz size as well as a 2oz dinner size.

Rosina says its Artisan Meatballs may be used in a variety of ways; each meatball is perfect for grilling, pairs with a variety of sauces for appetizers, or can be used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Convenient and easy to prepare, the meatballs can go from freezer to meal-ready in under 60 seconds.

Butterball Introduces New Products, Packaging, Promotions—and R&D Leadership

Butterball LLC, Garner, N.C., unveiled what it called “top-to-bottom” changes with a newly created innovation team in conjunction with a complete package redesign, a new “All Natural” line, and new consumer promotional campaigns. In August, officials called the move “the biggest refresh in the brand’s 60-plus-year history.”

As testament to Butterball’s company initiative, it hired Jeff Mundt for the newly created role of vice president of Research & Development and Innovation. Officials say Mundt brings more than 25 years of experience in food innovation, brand and product launches and pipeline development, and most recently came from The Hershey Company. 

“We have a significant growth opportunity to build out our product portfolio through aggressive, thoughtful innovation efforts, and we need a champion to head that initiative and drive our brand,” said Butterball Chief Marketing Officer, Bill Klump. 

Klump cites shifting consumer needs as the key driver for this renewed focus on innovation. 

“Our research has shown that consumer needs have changed, even among those we consider to be our core consumers. The product as we know it isn’t as relevant with consumers as it once was,” said Klump. “We created this position, equipped Mundt with a dedicated team and carved out resources with the specific focus of looking for new business that might not exist today.”

Mundt spent the last seven years of his career with The Hershey Company, holding various innovation roles developing new brands, technologies and products for the Health and Wellness, 3D Chocolate Printing and Permissible Indulgence platforms. Prior to his work at Hershey’s, Mundt worked in various segments of Mars, Inc., specializing in BFY chocolate innovation, new brands and venture modeling.  

Mundt holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Chemistry from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania; a Master’s of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Rutgers University; and an MBA from New York University.

New Products, Promotion

Rolling out nationwide is Butterball’s new All Natural products lineup—including Smoked Sausage, Turkey Bacon, Breakfast Sausage, Frozen Turkey Burgers and Turkey Meatballs. Officials say these products boast simpler labels with no hormones or steroids, no nitrates or nitrites, no artificial ingredients, and are minimally processed. 

Consumers also will have a chance to taste these changes in the deli as Butterball releases a new premium deli flavor portfolio. New deli turkey breast flavors—such as Cajun, Cracked Pepper and Deep Fried, and a new Buffalo Chicken Breast—will be sold alongside Butterball’s signature Thanksgiving Roasted deli turkey breast flavor. 

“As consumers’ preferences for more natural, healthier products increase, we are simultaneously improving our products, labels, processes and ingredients to reflect what consumers expect from their protein choices,” said Klump. “We want consumers to know exactly what is in or not in the products of their trusted turkey brand, and we let that insight drive what we call out on the package.”

The overhaul includes new designs on every product across the brand, prominent nutrition labels featured on the front of products, and cleaner ingredient upgrades without compromising taste. 

The upgraded Butterball products are featured across consumer platforms with social and digital promotions, and TV advertising that includes a reoccurring presence in Food Network magazine and Pioneer Woman magazine, as well as sponsorship of Pioneer Woman content on Foodnetwork.com and in-store video activations. 

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Tyson Innovation Lab Launches ¡Yappah!

Tyson Innovation Lab, the Tyson Foods, Inc. team tasked with bringing new consumer products to market in just six months, launched ¡Yappah!, its first brand. It debuted May 31st with a campaign on Indiegogo, a crowd-funding platform. The brand name was inspired by a tradition in the South American Andes called “yapa,” which refers to the little something extra a merchant gives to a valued customer so that nothing gets wasted.

Given the scale of the food waste problem, Tyson Innovation Lab sought partnerships with like-minded food companies. The first product under the ¡Yappah! brand, Protein Crisps, is crafted from rescued and upcycled vegetable and grain-based ingredients that might otherwise be left behind.

Tyson Foods provides upcycled chicken breast trim that is still full of flavor and protein and combines it with either rescued vegetable puree from juicing or rescued Molson Coors spent grain from beer brewing to create the line’s four flavors. Using rescued veggie puree, Tyson introduced Curry Flavors Chicken Carrot Crisps and Mojo Flavored Chicken Celery Crisps. Using rescued spent grains, researchers created Chicken IPA White Cheddar Crisps and Chicken-Shandy Beer Flavored Crisps.

“The ¡Yappah! brand mission is unique, important and far-reaching,” said Rizal Hamdallah, Head of Tyson Innovation Lab. 

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Deals Changing Tyson Meat, Poultry Biz

This August saw Tyson Foods, Inc. agree to purchase the Keystone Foods business from Marfrig Global Foods for $2.16 billion in cash. Headquartered in West Chester, Pa., Keystone supplies chicken, beef, fish and pork to some of the world’s leading quick-service restaurant chains, as well as retail and convenience store channels. Its value-added product portfolio includes chicken nuggets, wings and tenders; beef patties; and breaded fish fillets. 

The acquisition includes six processing plants and an innovation center in the U.S. with locations in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. (It does not include the beef patty processing plant in Ohio.) It also includes eight plants and three innovation centers in China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia. 

“Keystone is a leading global protein company and will be a great addition to Tyson Foods,” said Tom Hayes, former president and CEO of Tyson Foods. “This acquisition will expand our international presence and value-added production capabilities and help us deliver more value to our foodservice customers. Keystone provides a significant foundation for international growth with its in-country operations, sales and distribution network in high growth markets in the Asia Pacific region as well as exports to key markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”   

This June also saw Tyson acquire Tecumseh Poultry LLC, one of the nation’s leading producers of organic branded chicken, including the air-chilled Smart Chicken brand Tecumseh Poultry, Waverly, Neb., was founded in 1998 and produces air-chilled, fresh chicken, as well as deli-style chicken and a variety of chicken sausages. 

“Consumers want choices. More and more consumers want options for fresh, organic food that fits their lifestyles,” said Eric Schwartz, chief marketing officer of Poultry for Tyson Foods. “The Smart Chicken brand is a leader in this key organic category, and the category’s growth makes this acquisition a strategic fit for Tyson Foods.”