Marketing Responses To Changing Consumer Preferences In The Fresh Beef Industry

The fresh meat industry is changing the way it markets its products. The decline in red meat consumption that has resulted from greater consumer concerns about the "healthfulness" of red meat, coupled with changes in consumer lifestyles emphasizing a need for convenience is contributing to the diminishment of "commodity selling" in favor of a true "marketing" approach (Pierson and Allen, 1986). In a traditional industry such as meats, the shift from a commodity-selling perspective (i.e., selling of homogeneous goods) to a marketing (i.e., selling of homogeneous goods) to a marketing (i.e., marketing of differentiated goods) perspective is a slow transition. The fresh beef industry is moving toward the adoption of this contemporary food marketing strategy by shifting away from the traditional selling of beef as a commodity in favor of marketing differentiated beef products targeted to the wants and needs of specific consumer segments (Pierson and Allen, 1986). This research investigates recent developments in the fresh beef industry and assesses the implications of these developments for consumers, retailers, processors and producers. Beef marketing programs are reviewed in the following areas: 1) The introduction of close-trim programs by the meat industry: 2) The introduction of " light" (reduced fat content) beef: 3) The introduction of "natural" (hormone-free) beef; 4) The introduction of branded and branded case-ready beef by leading processors and retailers