Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
PackagingManufacturing NewsProcessing

Market Research

National Meat Case Study Reveals a Growing Trend for Case-Ready

101422 Tyson Foods Eagle Mountain.jpg

Screenshot of Tyson's Eagle Mountain, Utah facility.

October 14, 2022

Case-ready continues its upward climb across proteins, now representing 83% of packages, according to findings unveiled in the 2022 CRYOVAC Brand National Meat Case Study (NMCS). The study, which has been sponsored by SEE and its CRYOVAC Brand since 2002, shows a steady upward trend for case-ready fresh meat, growing from 49% in 2002, to 81% in 2018 and now enjoying an 83% share of packages in 2022.

“This really gels with the fact that more and more retailers are switching to case-ready, and that number continues to grow,” says Stacey Couch, marketing development director retail & e-commerce at Sealed Air. “The 2022 study also shows that a lot more retailers are taking options to go to some of the more sustainable packages, more rigid trays, less foam, and less in store overwrap with foam.”

While case-ready numbers are rapidly growing, the number of fresh meat SKUs are declining, perhaps due to ongoing supply chain issues, says Couch. The study indicates the number of fresh meat SKUs are 10% lower than reported in 2018, dropping from an average of 130 in stores in 2018 to 117 in stores in 2022.

Reflecting current market conditions, chicken SKUs and packages are down, while beef and ground beef are up. The number of packages remain the same with an average of 1,039 per store.


Meat Rules the Perimeter as Consumers and Retailers Embrace the Convenience of Case-ready

Meat sales exploded in 2020 and dollar growth continues while units and volume remain ahead of 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Meat is holding its position as king of the perimeter, with $85.5 billion in sales in 2022, 6.5% ahead of 2021 figures, according to IRI research.

Additionally, according to the 2021 Power of Meat report, 81% of consumers say they think case-ready meats are equally as good—if not better—than meats cut and packaged in the store.

As consumer trust and acceptance of case-ready has risen, the 2022 National Meat Case Study shows that case-ready is now the norm across all proteins, led by turkey (99%) and chicken (96%). Beef is the most likely to be cut in store, though case-ready has increased to 71% of packages from 66% in 2018.

“For this study, we define case-ready as anything that has an establishment number on it,” explains Couch. “If it was made in store, it doesn’t have an establishment number on it, and if it was made at the processor, it will have an establishment number.

“When we started this study in 2002, 51% of product was being cut and packaged at the store level. Those number have completely flipped and now only 17% is being cut and packaged in store. Now, 83% of everything you see in store is processed and packaged away from the store. That number has steadily risen year over year, and we believe it will continue to climb,” Couch added.

 

As Labor Woes Continue, Case-ready is on the Rise

Additionally, case-ready provides a solution for grocery retailers who continue to face the challenge of hiring skilled butchers. Case-ready helps retailers maintain the high level of quality product consumers expect while also allowing grocers to keep the meat case stocked with a variety of meats and cuts for their consumers.

2022 also brings a reversal to the rise of boneless, likely directly related to ongoing labor shortages. Since 2018, boneless beef packages dropped from 92% to 87%, pork from 69% to 64% and chicken from 61% to 56%. 

The overall share of eligible packages that are boneless had been consistently increasing over the years from 57% in 2002 to 72% in 2018. But in the 2022 study, boneless dropped down to 67%. Meats such as grinds or cubed steak that are always boneless are not included in these figures. 

“Across the board, beef, pork and chicken all declined in the number of boneless packages and most of that we believe it driven by the labor woes that a lot of the processors were having, so they didn’t have the labor to bone out some of that product,” says Couch.  

The average package weight remained fairly stable, with small increases for chicken, pork, beef and turkey — directly related to a greater bone-in share versus 2018.


E-commerce and Ease of Use Drives Demand for Vacuum Packaging

Consumer acceptance for online grocery shopping, as well as an interest in convenience and the desire to keep food fresher longer, has grown the demand for vacuum packaging. This case-ready solution now leads the way in the type of packaging found in-store due to its leak proof capabilities and ease of use.

In addition, case-ready vacuum solutions offer a wide range of distribution and storage flexibility from retail fresh to e-commerce fresh or frozen, which enables use of one package format for multiple applications.

“What makes this really interesting is the impressive upward trend of vacuum versus the downward trend of PVC wrap, the type of packaging wrap typically used at store level,” says Couch. “When we first started this survey, 51% of packages at store level were packaged with PVC wrap, while only 9% were vacuum packed. Now, vacuum packaging leads all packaging types at 32% while PVC wrap has dropped almost by half to 28%.”

Vacuum packages include those that use rollstock, including saddle packs, as well as shrink bags and vacuum skin, various options that make it easier for consumers to prepare and store meat products.

In a nod to growing interest in sustainable options, the NMCS shows increasing use of trayless packages (including semi-rigid) while foam trays are on the decline. Trayless now represents 41% of packages, up from 33% in 2018, while foam is now at 39%, down from 53% in 2018.

“Change seems to be happening faster than ever before and this year’s National Meat Case Study is a great tool to gauge what consumers see when they enter the stores and how various packaging options can address the needs of both retailers and consumers,” says Couch.

 

Methodology

The 2022 National Meat Case Study was conducted between February and May of 2022. SEE field experts and Texas Tech students documented the meat case inventory across a market reflection of traditional supermarkets, clubs, supercenters and specialty stores. The study reflects research conducted at 152 stores in 97 U.S. cities, including a sample of 180,000 packages and 20,500 SKUs. Conducted for the first time in 2002, 2022 marks the eighth edition of the study that tracks trends in the meat case. 

KEYWORDS: case-ready meat market research market trends

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    Latest headlines
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Food Safety
    By: Richard F. Stier
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

Kraft Heinz DeKalb Distribution Center Rendering

Kraft Heinz Upgrades U.S. Manufacturing Facilities

FMTE Formed by Four Food Manufacturing Companies

Coalition Unites Europe’s Food Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment Sector

Sanitation worker spraying water

Fighting the Foodborne Bacteria War with Cleaning and Sanitation

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

July 10, 2025

Smarter Innovation With Practical AI: How to Stay Agile in Uncertain Times

Regulatory updates, supply chain shifts and evolving consumer demands keep the food and beverage industry in a state of constant change.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • Michael Costa

    The Case for Case-Ready

    See More
  • Advanta

    Making a case for aluminum trays in ready meal manufacturing

    See More
  • future of case-ready meat plants

    Fab Food Plant: Tyson’s innovative case-ready meat facility in Eagle Mountain, Utah

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • statical.jpg

    Statistical Process Control for the Food Industry: A Guide for Practitioners and Managers

  • download.jpg

    Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!