BAM Cuts Deliver for Smaller Households, Smaller Appetites

BAM In-Market Study Executive Summary

Early focus groups told us that portions have benefits to consumers, like convenience and enhanced nutrition, and retailers like that the Beef Alternative Merchandising (BAM) program can help keep unit prices acceptable and offer portions at a thickness that provides good eating experience.  To gain valuable insights on product appeal in-store and at-home, we conducted a checkoff-funded BAM In-Market Test in the summer of 2010. 
Methodology   
Products were placed in a middle-America grocery chain during the summer of 2010, and 150 consumers provided valuable insights on product appeal, first in the store, and then after cooking and sharing the product with their household.

Demos, radio, point of sale, meat staff involvement used to merchandise the "Simply Beef" products and explain benefits to the consumer.  This data was then collected online and analyzed. Results
A remarkable 84 percent indicated purchase interest in the ribeye filets, and 78 percent in the petite roast. For about 20 percent of the consumers, the product had a bit less fat than they preferred. This speaks to the add-on opportunity these filets represent.  We suggest keeping traditional ribeyes, top loins and top sirloins in the case for those who prefer the cuts they have always loved, with the marbling they have been accustomed to. But a more health conscious consumer represents a valuable new market for the BAM filet and roast options. 

Key observations were made based on the positive feedback shared by meat department associates about the program including:

BAM clearly offers increased meat selection and consumer choice:

• "If we offer BAM we’re offering more variety, which will naturally appeal to a larger group of consumers."
• "BAM offers an alternative to our other products, which is always a good thing."
• "BAM isn’t just a choice, it’s a healthy alternative.  It’s leaner, and along with leaner it’s smaller, which is also better." 

BAM cuts offer competitive differentiation and reinforce an image of high quality:

• "This makes us look better to consumers.  People feel like this is more gourmet, which is higher quality."  
• "Everybody agrees that we hang our hats on the quality of our perimeters, such as the deli, produce, and meat departments."  

Sampling and POS merchandising materials including shelf cards, free-standing signage, photographs, and recipe cards are essential to product trial:

• "It’s all about sampling:  We just need to get it into the mouths of the consumers."
• "We always try to talk to consumers, to explain it a little more, but channel strips and recipe cards, that kind of thing really helps."

Reach new health-conscious customers and smaller households in coveted demographics, such as boomers and millennials, by adding BAM filets and roasts to your meat case.