Currently, one of the greatest challenges for chicken processors is keeping up with demand. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, broiler head produced was down 4 percent in the first quarter of 2021, and pounds produced declined 3 percent.

Drs. Francisco Najar and Phil Bass talk with Dr. Bob Delmore of Colorado State University and Jordan Levi of Arcadia Asset Management.

Without dwelling much on the past, it progressed from shrink bags to case-ready and vacuum skin to flex/flex and other formats all the while delivering extended freshness life for an expanding lineup of protein applications. Today it continues that winning streak. 

During the pandemic, many independent processors have seen their production demands increase due to changing consumer purchasing patterns as the labor market remains tight. In turn, many smaller processors have added new automated equipment, such as bigger injectors or poly-clip systems, to keep up with production demands. 

“Not all beef trim is created equal,” says Christopher Kerth, Ph.D., associate professor of meat science at Texas A&M University, based in College Station, Texas.