Trend Toward Case-Ready Fresh Meats Grows Worldwide
DENVER, CO Prepackaged
fresh meat delivered to retailers
and ready for immediate place
ment in the meat case will be com
monplace in the United States and
European retail outlets within a
few yet . However, don’t expect
'heU.S. to follow Europe’s lead by
using the same method of case
ready packaging. There are just too
many differences between Ameri
can and European consumer buy
ing habits and retail meat delivery
systems.
That is the message Jim Bruce,
group director for lamb marketing
with the American Sheep Produc
ers Council, delivered recently at
CAP ’B7 in Chicago. Bruce, a lead
ing authority on fresh meat pack
aging, was formerly international
market development manager for
Cryovac, the packaging and equip
ment division of W. R. Grace
Company.
CAP ’B7 was the Third Interna
tional Conference on Controlled
and Modified Atmosphere Vac
uum Packaging, where discussions
focused on the latest packaging
technology and innovations for a
variety of food products, including
fresh meat.
Bruce described some of the dif
ferences between American and
European consumer buying habits
and meat distribution systems
which affect packaging decisions.
For example, European consumers
shop daily, buy meat in small
quantities and rarely freeze meat.
Since shipping distances from cen
tral packaging sites to retailers are
shorter, European meat products
have minimal shelf-life require
ments and shipping costs are low.
In comparison, meat in the U.S.
is distributed nationwide which
means packaging must be as eco
nomical and conservative as possi
ble to keep down costs. Since ship
ping distances to the retailer may
be extensive, longer product shelf
life is important. About 75 percent
of all fresh meat is frozen by U.S.
consumers before use which adds
requirements for greater packag
ing protection.
Product characteristics, includ
ing the type of packaging to a great
extent, appear to be driven by the
motives of the organization intro
ducing the concept. In Europe cen
tral prepackaging is done by retail
ers, while in the U.S. packers and
processors are taking the lead.
Europe’s case-ready packaging
choice. Controlled Atmosphere
Packaging (CAP), is a method of
sealing fresh meat products in air
tight plastic containers under con
trolled temperatures. The contain
ers are usually rectangular and air
is replaced by gas before sealing.
Generally, this is 50 percent oxy
gen to retain the bright red color,
20 percent carbon dioxide to inhi
bit spoilage and the remaining 30
percent comprised of oxygen, nit
rogen or carbon dioxide. With
CAP, meat maintains a natural
bright red color and has a maxi
mum shelf life of about six days.
The CAP process requires a pack
age twice as large as the product to
allow sufficient head space for the
gas. Meat packed in this method
does not freeze well.
Bruce says the CAP system is
now the undisputed leader in Eur
ope’s drive to central prepackag
ing of fresh meat. CAP use in some
European countries is growing
rapidly and ranges as high as 40%
of fresh meat sales. In Great Bri
tain, for example, CAP packaging
has risen from 10 to 23 percent of
total retail meat packaging in the
past 24 months.
The primary alternative to CAP
■ a vacuum-packaging methpd
which uses an oxygen
impermeable bag or pouch. Air is
removed from the package and the
wrap hugs tightly around the meat.
Vacuum packaging is the promi
nent system used in the U.S.
The airtight atmosphere created
by vacuum packaging gives red
meat products a purplish hue
which returns to a natural red when
the package is opened and the meat
is exposed to oxygen. Vacuum
packaging requires less display
space, results in less packaging
bulk which lowers shipping costs,
and provides a shelf life of up to 21
days and freezer protection
advantages for American distribu
ters, retailers and consumers.
CAP has one major advantage
for both European and U.S. mark
e*s; it maintains the color of meat
in the cherry red hue that consum
TOPICS 1988 Farm Legislation
1987 Test Plot Results Crop Insurance
Chemical Recommendations Cultivation Tips
DATE
January 19,1988
January 20,1988
January 22,1988
January 25,1988
January 26,1988
January 27,1988
January 27,1988
January 28,1988
February 2,1988
February 3,1988
February 3,1988
February 4,1988
February 8,1988
February 8,1988
February 9,1988
February 11,1988 Milford, De./Harrlngton, De.
’lnvitation with Sweepstakes/Door Priza entry card will be mailed approximately two weeks prior to each meeting. If.you do
not receive an invitation and would like to attend a meeting, or if it la Inconvenient to attend the meeting in your area, call
the Milford, Delaware office at 1 -800-441 -2367 (Outside Delaware), or 302-422*3001.
Must ba Prasant to win Door Priza or $500.00 Cash Sweepstakes
THENEW
ers associate with freshness. How
ever, CAP translates to twice the
bulk, twice as many trucks and
twice as much cardboard for mas
ter packaging of CAP than vacuum
packaged primals or retail cuts.
For regional distribution up to 200
miles CAP may prove acceptable
but for national distribution it is a
major cost disadvantage.
The ultimate conclusion as to
which central prepackaging form,
or forms are successful in the U.S.
market will clearly be influenced
by who is launching the program
introduction. If central prepackag
ing continues to be driven by major
U.S. meat packers then vacuum
packaging appears to be the most
likely choice, Bruce says.
“It is now generally accepted in
both meat and supermarket indus
tries that centrally-prepacked.
Milford Fertilizer
Company
1988 GROWER SEMINARS
OPEN TO ALL GROWERS*
$5OO Cash Sweepstakes and Door Prizes - A Winner at Each Seminar
AREA
Rhodesdale, Md./Denton, Md.
Oxford, Pa.
Quarryvllle, Pa.
Dagsboro, De./Pittsvllle, Md.
Cordova, Md./Wye Mills, Md.
Trappe, Md./Cambrldge, Md.
Greensboro, Md.
Sudlersville, Md./Kennedyviile, Md.
Fawn Grove, Pa./Stewartstown, Pa.
Brogue. Pa.
Churchville, Md.
Middletown, De./Clayton, De.
Oaretown, NJ
Swedesboro, NJ
Vlncentown, NJ
NORTHRUPKING
branded meat will become com
mon during the next ten years,”
Bruce said. “This concept offers
tremendous new opportunities for
red meat sales in America, in gen
eral, and particularly for American
lamb which is currently unavail
able in -many markets because of
limited distribution.”
The American Sheep Producers
Council is currently participating
in projects with major lamb pack-
SEMINAR SCHEDULE
(Lunch or Dinner Will be Served)
ROPE IN
SOME EXTRA
CASH!
Advertise With A
Lancaster Farming
CLASSIFIED AD..
Phone: 717-394-3047
or 717-626-1164
PLACE
Hurlock Fire Hall, Hurlock, Md.
Post House Restaurant, Oxford, Pa. 10:00 A.M.
Hoffman Building, Quarryville, Pa. 10:00 A.M
Solanco Fair Grounds
Gumboro Fire Hall, Gumboro, De
Bay Country Moose, Grasonville, Md. 6:30 P.M.
Econo Lodge, Cambridge, Md.
American Legion Hall, Denton, Md
American Legion Hall, Chestertown, Md. 10:00 A.M
Taylor House, Stewartstown, Pa,
Rutter's Restaurant, Red Lion, Pa. 10:00 A.M
Sheraton Inn, Aberdeen, Md.
Townsend Fire Hall, Townsend, De. 10:00 A.M
Grange Hall, Elmer, NJ
Dutch Inn, Swedesboro, NJ
Holiday Inn, Bordentown, NJ
Carlisle Fire Hall, Milford, Oe.
ers and processors that are deve
loping and distributing their own
case-ready and tray-ready Fresh
American Lamb products. “With
the increased availability of case
ready lamb any retailer in the
nation may soon be able to order
the type of prepackaged cuts that
they want to meet store and con
sumer needs, including guaranteed
shelf-life and consistent quality.”
I
TOPICS
Credit programs
Seed
TIME
10:00 A.M
10:0Q_A.M
6:00 P.M
10:00 A.M
10:00 A.M
10:00 A.M
10:00 A.M
THENEW
NORTHRUPKING
6:00 P.M.
7:00 P.M,
4:00 P.M