Once thought of as just a holiday staple, turkey meets many of the post-COVID-19 consumer demands.
“In the world between COVID and now, things have changed. Everything has changed,” Kyle Lock, senior director of retail marketing at Butterball, said. “Turkey is ideally positioned to fill the new needs of consumers.”
What post-pandemic consumers are looking for
Coming out of the pandemic, consumers want feel-good proteins and to reduce their red meat consumption. They are also looking for convenience – a protein that is easy to prepare – and cooking inspiration.
“They want some easy ways to access turkey that they can cook with, probably with a little less time and a little less labor. And we are building innovation now to help fill those needs,” Lock explained.
“That means we have to continue to find ways to expand our support and find new ways to deliver that to consumers.”
A brand’s values matter
Not that long ago, consumers were more transactional with the products they buy. That is no longer the case.
Now, shoppers not only expect great products, but they also want to know about the values a company embraces – from social issues to sustainability to animal welfare.
“They also want to be choosing great products from companies they trust. That sounds super obvious, but it is actually a bit of a shift,” added Lock.
Adapting to consumer demand
One way Butterball currently offers support to home cooks is through Turkey Talk, a helpline that provides advice and tips for cooking the holiday turkey through phone, text, online chat, social media and Alexa.
The company also wants to find ways to make it easier for foodservice to prepare turkey.
“Restaurants are obviously struggling with staffing, so they need steps removed from the prep process. Right now, we’re working on a couple different solutions for that. It’s all these kinds of unfulfilled needs that lead to a redefinition of our operations,” he noted.
