NPB and industry experts have been conducting an in-depth analysis of the retail meat case since 2012. By focusing on the quality and consistency of pork, as well as various meat case metrics, the National Retail Benchmarking study aims to improve the position of pork in the market.
Top 10 Things to Know About the National Retail Pork Benchmarking Study:
✅ The purpose: Analyzing the retail meat case, focusing on pork quality, consistency and positioning.
✅ Scope of the project: Retail and club stores in 16 major markets across the U.S.
✅ Evaluation metrics: Color, marbling, tenderness, juiciness and flavor.
✅ Japanese color score: Collecting this score and comparing to other subjective measurements helps determine the percentage of domestic loins that would qualify for export outside the U.S.
✅ Objective measurements: Objective color and tenderness evaluations are conducted using tools like the minolta colorimeter and slice sheer force.
✅ Cook loss: Examination of the loss of moisture during the cooking process. Moisture retention = juicy & tender.
✅ The study observes a decline in enhanced pork products, with over 95% of products being non-enhanced in recent data.
✅ Consistency improvements: Over the years, the project has shown a significant increase in subjective color consistency and improvement in Japanese color score.
✅ Tenderness and marbling: Increased tenderness and consistent marbling in the 2-3% range.
✅ Opportunities for the loin complex: The project highlights the importance of focusing on the loin complex, including consumer preferences, fabrication methods, labeling and education to enhance value and volume.
Click to watch a video of Dr. David Newman, SVP of market growth, discussing how his NPB team works to expand market growth in 3 key areas.
Take a deeper dive into the Retail Benchmarking Study by watching the Pork Academy Session, Proving the Industry’s Chops: Tackling a 30-year Challenge.
