Convenience is a key
driver in changing what
is on the supermarket
shelves. This is reflected
by the increase of pre-marinated,
ready-to-cook chicken products,
which consumers can put straight in
the oven without mess or fuss. This
reliance on convenient food products
is not limited to the Western world, but
is a trend that’s rising across North
America, Europe and Australasia.
Globally, ready meals and convenience
foods are continually on the rise,
especially in rapidly urbanising
economies such as South Asia, with
increased adoption of packaged food
products into new consumer markets.
In 2017, Western Europe saw the
packaged food market grow by 1.5%,
compared with a rise of 1.15% in the
United States.
Despite a reduction of red meat
consumption worldwide, the
consumption of chicken is continuing
to grow. However, the industry is
experiencing a shift in the types of
products consumers are demanding.
Today’s consumers are replacing
traditional products with newer
concepts — think marinated wings,
pre-marinated wings and ready-tocook
whole poultry.
Packaging matters
There’s no denying the growing
demand for packaged food, but
what does this mean for the poultry
distributors, wholesalers or meal
developers? Put simply, poultry
packaging requires a rethink.
Regardless of the quality or desirability
of a product, packaging can have
a significant impact on whether the
customer will make the purchase.
This is particularly relevant for whole
poultry. Generally speaking, today’s
consumers don’t want to touch the
chicken before it is cooked — which
they have had to do with traditional
plastic bag packaging. Again, it’s
about convenience.
By manufacturing pre-marinated
poultry products in an oven-proof
tray, the consumer experiences
minimal fuss as they move their meal
CHICKEN
Worldwide poultry CONVENIENCE
production is predicted
to increase by 24% over
the next decade. There’s
no doubt that poultry is
a staple…but how is this
traditional industry shifting
to fulfil modern day food
demands? Here, food
packaging manufacturer
Advanta export sales
manager Miguel Campos
hatches a plan to use
innovative packaging
to fulfil the convenience
and shelf-life demands of
today’s poultry industry.
90 ANNUAL DIRECTORY 2019