Chalk it up to the protein craze or just the consumer need for more convenient foods, but the lunchmeat category has swelled in the last year with sales exceeding $9 billion.
However, it’s not just any lunchmeat that is resonating with shoppers; it’s those that offer quality and healthy options. For instance, freshly sliced bulk lunchmeat from the deli department has outperformed its packaged/processed counterparts. Also, entertaining varieties, such as specialty sausages and pepperoni, have grown in the marketplace, possibly influenced by the charcuterie trend.