Hallie Forcinio

Consumers approach the purchase of meat, poultry, or seafood products with many concerns – freshness, shelf life, inflation-impacted prices, food waste, plastic waste, consumption of non-renewable resources, recyclability, product traceability, and the need for convenient meal prep in their often-hectic days. 

Meat-based meals gain popularity at breakfast.

Lightweight substrates can be recyclable, compostable and/or contain recycled content. 

The sooner a meal is ready to eat, the happier everyone is, especially on a work/school day. For many quick meals, deli meats, sausages, and hot dogs provide the basis for the main course.

Weigh, price, labelers continue to shift from semiautomatic to automatic machines as sales of case-ready products and deli products grow and processors address personnel shortages. 

The demand for meat packaging is expected to show strong growth for the next decade, largely due to rising meat consumption in emerging economies. 

For consumers of meat, poultry and seafood products, convenience still sells, and concerns about sustainability remain strong. 

Microwaveable packaging helps put meals on the table quickly.