Before the COVID-19 outbreak, consumers were purchasing a variety of pre-portioned or portion-controlled meat and poultry products. A shift in lifestyle changes because of the pandemic caused the total poultry and meat portion size category (0- to 6-ounce sizes) to drop 3.8 percent to approximately $654.2 million for the latest 52 weeks ending Feb. 21 in total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI Inc., Chicago.

When a processor makes a packaging wish list, chub packaging ticks most of the boxes. Sustainable? Yes. Case-ready? Yes. Vibrant, full-color graphics? Yes. 

The benefits of portion control slicing equipment are numerous for smaller processors.

Before the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, consumers were buying a wide variety of meat cuts, from pre-portioned to bulk. The next few months may either see skewed consumer purchasing decisions or reinforce tried-and-true options.

When it comes to the development and merchandising of meat and poultry, big is not necessarily better. As cut size increases, shoppers show greater interest in buying smaller portions.

With such factors as price, convenience, wellness and sustainability on their minds, more consumers are seeking precise varieties of proteins, including packages with specific portions.

Most Americans (89 percent) agree it is important to eat enough protein in their diet, and that protein can be part of a heart healthy diet (86 percent), reports Washington, D.C.-based International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC)’s Food and Health Survey 2015.

Hummus Plus is a new product from Pure Mediterranean Foods that pairs hummus with seasoned chicken and can be eaten as a meal or a snack.