Forced development in the market of meat products

There is a noticeable shift taking place in the roles played by various categories of meat products. New ones keep appearing, while others disappear. High quality hams and the grill segment are seen as having a great potential for the future. Manufacturers’ attitudes are also changing. They are adopting a marketing-focused approach and concentrate on building brands and sub-brands. Regarding brand building, PICK Szeged Zrt is probably in the most fortunate position among manufacturers. It has two well-known brands (PICK, Délhús) to build on and the merger with Délhús has placed it in a dominant position. Their thinking is not category-focused, it is much more target group oriented. The Délhús Könnyű ízek product line is for health-conscious people. These products are not only low calorie, but also free of allergens and also contain ingredients which have a beneficial effect on our health. PICK Scooby Doo products are aimed at the 4-12 age group. Products contain at least 70 per cent meat, with added vitamins and trace elements. The third major innovation program of PICK-Szeged is directed at expanding the assortment of convenience products. Products belonging to this category all receive uniform, aroma sealed packaging. PICK Mangalica is a product line intended to meet modern dietary requirements, which is to be expanded by three new products in July. New flavours are also to be added to the Délhús Gála product line. Pápai Hús is in a unique situation, as it has been under liquidation since 14. December 2006. This acts as a restraint on the freedom of planning, but also makes planing more transparent and predictable. The sales organisation has been restructured, marketing activities have become more intensified and intensive product development has begun. – We are building on our traditions. As hams are our strength, we focus on this category. We have begun developing new product lines and we are gradually getting rid of our less popular products – says Rudolf Bánátfy , marketing director. Kométa ’99 Zrt. also uses the umbrella brand and sub-brand concept, with sub-brands being positioned according to price category. – Our main aim is to provide an excellent price/value ratio for consumers – say Krisztina Bódi, marketing director. – Though the lower price segment is growing at the moment, we hope that this trend will soon be reversed – she adds. The market of poultry-based products is highly developed and well-segmented. Master Good Kft – a new player in the processed poultry market – started with several brands from the beginning. We have three main categories: Mester product line, Felvidéki ízek (flavours), Tanyasi product line. We try to give products a uniform image within the product line – says Emese Kovács, head of marketing. – Convenience products are a priority for us, because we believe that housewives have less time for cooking than before – adds Emese Kovács. The market strategy of efef Kft. is based on several pillars.– We make premium category products and cheaper products for price-sensitive consumers at the same time – says Zsolt Farkas, brand manager. Regarding innovation, they focus on spicy products in line with traditional flavours. Pre-portioned packages dominate among meat products. However, demand for meat products portioned on the spot is still substantial. For sliced products, protective gas packaging has become increasingly popular in recent years. Though being more expensive, this type of packaging prevents the loss of aroma and flavour and also slices from sticking together.