Taste for strong flavors fueling $800bn processed meat market

People around the world are consuming a greater amount of protein than before. Global demand for deli meat, ready-to-eat cuts, jerky, sausages, and other meat products is expected to surge to nearly $800bn by 2018, according to Markets and Markets.

Consumers of deli meats, one of the fasterst-growing categories, are seeking a broader range of flavors. One way processors can impart their deli meats with bolder flavors while giving the meat a pleasing appearance in the refrigerated case is to use seasoned transfer materials.

Flavor products​

Flavorseal, a processing and packaging supplier offering a range of items for the meat industry, has developed seasoning transfer casings to flavor meats using spice blends with large particulates, for strong flavor and tantalizing appearance. Jason Reicks, market manager for Flavorseal’s seasoning transfer products, said they keep large particulates on the outer surface of deli meats after processing, creating an appealing coating.

"It may sound simplistic, but we all know that biting into a peppercorn is a completely different experience from eating food seasoned with ground pepper​," he said Jason Reicks. "Consumers are looking for bold flavors and naturally gravitate toward the product where they can see the spice​."

Changing tastes​

The casings cut down the amount of time spent on product development, Reicks said. Trying out new flavors and spice blends can be accomplished simply by changing casings, and Flavorseal's seasoning transfer casings are growing in popularity among meat processors because they reduce the amount of time spent on new product development for flavored deli meat products. 

Testing new flavors is as easy as changing casings, and new products can be move from research to production quickly by using existing production lines. Reicks said it is important for meat processors to be nimble, so that they are prepared to react to shifting consumer tastes.

"Some flavor trends stay around for a while, some go quickly, but they are always changing​," continued Reicks. "It's important that processors have a tool that lets them keep up​."