The prices of many food products have come down from their inflationary highs. But for many staples, including some meat and poultry products, they’re still high.

Retailers and their meat and poultry supplier partners continue to work hard to ease sticker shock for their customers.

With 71% of consumers looking to spend less on groceries, food prices have sparked a debate about what “value” really means, said David Gadd, senior vice president and general manager of Wayne-Sanderson Farms.

For some price-sensitive shoppers, value means buying fewer items and trading down. For others, it means buying larger value-sized trays that offer the flexibility to cook some now and freeze some for later.

And there are even more definitions of “value,” Gadd said.

“Higher-income households may opt for more premium items at grocery, replacing the restaurant experience.”

The bottom line: different shoppers have different needs, and to thrive in the current environment, both producers and retailers need to provide a variety of choices.

In the fresh chicken category, Gadd said, that means offering a complete value product offering in various tray sizes and cuts.

Fortunately for Wayne-Sanderson, he added, value has always been front and center. The company prides itself on providing customers with affordable chicken options.

That said, in inflationary times, some products are definitely more attractive than others.

“We continue to see more demand for dark meat and items in value pack sizes vs the smaller tray sizes,” Gadd said, citing National Chicken Council data showing sales of thighs and drumsticks are up.

Because grocery retailers typically sell fresh chicken items at a cost per pound, producers can put fewer pieces in a tray to keep the register ring lower or offer larger tray sizes so consumers can buy in bulk, Gadd said.

For premium cuts, he added, packing quality product without additional processing is a must for keeping prices down.

Low prices are just one way to help consumers save money, said Hilary Burroughs, Wayne-Sanderson’s vice president of marketing. 

Wayne-Sanderson has developed several value-added tools that encourage people to reduce waste and stretch their dollars.

On the company’s website, for example, consumers can search for recipes with ingredients they already have using a search-by-ingredient tool.

Wayne-Sanderson is also pushing a strong value message on its social media channels. The company’s newest campaign reminds consumers that cooking at home can not only be quick and easy but that it’s less expensive than having food delivered.

This article is an excerpt from the August 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Value feature and more in the digital edition here.