The intensifying drive to achieve maximum quality, safety and convenience is adding more value to packaging
By Bryan Salvage, editor
Packaging, the critical product component second in importance only to the product itself, is becoming even more important.
In the intensifying battle to provide consumers with superior, safer and more convenient products, packers and processors are relying more on packaging suppliers to help achieve these essential points-of-difference.
What is the most notable component in packaging meat products?
"Integrity," stresses Jim Stewart, corporate industrial engineer of ergonomics for ConAgra Red Meats and Monfort Inc.
From a marketing standpoint, the package must also look appealing.
"You have to look at packaging as value-added," Stewart points out. "It's a capital investment that must improve and enhance the product. You also want brand recognition."
Case-ready movement
James Marsden, AMI's senior vice president of scientific and technical affairs, describes the move by some packers into case-ready product as the most significant issue in packaging.
"I've heard rumblings that Cargill is looking at another pre-packaged, branded beef initiative," he notes. "And Hormel Foods Corp. has had success with its pre-packaged, branded pork initiative."
One industry insider also names IBP Inc. and Monfort Inc. as other major packers active in case ready. But they are keeping quiet about the progress of their efforts. Only one company contacted by Meat Marketing & Technology would comment on its case-ready business.
Cargill Meat Sector's Excel brand of case-ready beef was introduced in 1986, but discontinued in 1991.
A spokesman for Minneapolis-based Cargill emphasizes the move was a retreat, not a defeat. "The first time around was actually a good learning experience for us," the spokesman says. "Honestly, it gave us a good start."
In October 1994, Cargill introduced its new Double Diamond brand of vacuum-packaged, case-ready beef. The 19-product line consisting of roasts, steaks and ground beef was put in 25 retail stores within a 600-mile radius of Wichita, Kan., home of the company's Product Development Center.
At press time, Cargill hoped to expand distribution by the end of 1994.
Why did Cargill remove its case-ready line in 1991? An unattractive meat color inside the vacuum package was cited as one problem, although the company's follow-up surveys indicated only a small number of users said color was an issue.
"In the original [Excel] package, the meat looked brown," the spokesman says. "Double Diamond looks burgundy red."
The original case-ready beef was positioned as a product line that could save backroom labor for retail establishments. But the Double Diamond line is positioned to help retail meat cutters deal with out-of-stock product.
"Double Diamond will help get incremental sales; it's not a replacement [for meat cutters' product]," the spokesperson cautions.
Double Diamond's packaging is also more attractive and convenient than Cargill's first case-ready effort, which featured the brand-name logo on the vacuum package, the spokesman says.
"[With Double Diamond }, the meat is placed on a plastic tray and a vacuum pack is placed around it," the spokesman adds. "[A consumer] can see the top and sides of the steak. Around the perimeter of the front of the package, the Double Diamond brand is printed in attractive colors."
There is a variety of information on the back of the package that makes the product more convenient, he adds.
"On the back of the package, there's a color indicator that shows what the product should look like before and after opening," the spokesman says. "You also have safe handling instructions. And cooking instructions will ensure the product will taste the same each time it's prepared."
Double Diamond exhibits longer refrigerated shelf life-about two weeks once it reaches the store's meat case-and it can be placed into a freezer without rewrapping.
How well is the line doing?
"It's still early, but consumers will ultimately tell us whether this product is a success," the spokesperson adds.
More companies are joining the move into case ready.
"We are working with a broad range of fresh meat companies to develop case-ready products," says Jim Mize, market development manager of case-ready fresh meats for Duncan, S.C.-based Cryovac Inc.
Mize claims this renewed drive into case ready is driven by retailers.
"For many reasons [including a shrinking base of meat cutters to preventing out-of-stock products], retailers are looking very hard at case ready," he notes.
Manufacturing meat
In shipping manufactured meat from packer to processor, Marsden says fresh meat is still moved in combos and frozen meat is still moved in cardboard boxes.
However, USDA's program on monitoring ground beef for E. coli 0157:H7 may impact future meat shipments.
"There will be an increased emphasis on accountability in terms of being able to determine the make-up of a lot of meat," Marsden stresses. "USDA's [E. coli] monitoring program defines a lot as everything that's produced from clean-up to clean-up. And USDA is waiting for industry to come back and tell it why that's not the case."
The industry must have specific accountability in terms of raw materials and rework utilization, he adds.
"That could ultimately affect the way we move raw materials," Marsden says. "That accountability will be reflected in definitive raw material lots. Perhaps this will drive us more to boxed product."
USDA's policy on E. coli 0157:H7 in ground beef may lead to an increased use of chub packaging, Marsden says. This would place more food safety responsibility on packers.
Irradiation and packaging
Industry supports irradiation of meat products, but more work needs to be done on packaging approved for irradiation.
Proponents point out that a product irradiated inside its package would offer consumers optimum food safety benefits. But one source says little work has been done in this area.
"Because the industry hasn't been very active in irradiation, people haven't paid a lot of attention to the packaging regulation," says George Pauli, director of FDA's division of product policies. "Our regulation requires that packaging be tested and authorized for the particular application under irradiation conditions."
Authorizations on irradiating food packaging were first granted in the 1960s, and were based on U.S. Army testing.
"We have had only one petition to update that regulation in more than 20 years," Pauli says.
Looking to the future, Pauli adds: "We filed a petition [last] July that will attempt to demonstrate the safety of irradiating essentially any mammalian species used for food.
There's no way of predicting at this time when we'll have a final decision-or what it will be.
"But if authorization is given, companies intending to irradiate meat products would have to start thinking about irradiation-tested packaging," Pauli adds.
Sam Whitney, chairman of Mulberry, Fla.-based Food Technology Service (formerly Vindicator Inc.), tells MM&T that Cryovac and Viskase have received approvals for their air-permeable wrappers, which are now being used for irradiated poultry.
Diamond Bar, Calif.-based PaperPak Products, received approval for its meat soaker pad in 1992. But gaining approvals for a standard tray to be used in irradiation remains a problem.
Amoco Foam Products, however, reportedly was expected to file a petition with FDA late last year for its standard polystyrene foam tray for use with irradiated meat products, Whitney adds.