Dive Brief:
- The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) has launched a free mobile app called MyMeatUp that's designed to help consumers make better-informed poultry and meat purchases, according to Progressive Grocer. The app is available for both iPhone and Android users.
- According to NAMI, this is the only app of its kind and offers a full guide to beef, pork, lamb and veal meat cuts.
- The app also contains content from www.MyMeatUp.org, a millennial-friendly resource that the organization launched in 2016, and offers recipes and appropriate cooking instructions for different meats and cuts.
Dive Insight:
MyMeatUp is geared toward younger consumers who may have less experience buying meat items and preparing them. This may be the result of meat's often hefty sticker price and the demographic's affinity for flexitarian diets.
Still, a study by Midan Marketing showed that millennials represent the largest generation of meat buyers, representing $75.4 million in sales over the last year.
The study showed that on average, millennials spend significantly more on meat than baby boomers ($162 vs. $93). It also revealed that while the group has positive attitudes towards meat, health concerns are a top concern. The app can help assuage those uncertainties by explaining how to cook and eat meat in healthy way. It also provides definitions for labels such as “antibiotic-free” and “grass-fed,” which some shoppers could find confusing.
Apps like this are very helpful for consumers seeking food guidance, but this doesn’t mean that retailers should shy away from continuing marketing efforts to educate consumers about the meat and poultry products they carry. Some might even take a page from the app and find digital, interactive ways to engage and inform younger shoppers.