» SUPERMARKET & FOODSERVICE PANEL
ficial dyes and colors from food.”
Jason’s Deli also specifies that its
chicken has to be produced without
antibiotics and promotes the chicken
as “antibiotic free (ABF).”
“We feel strongly about being ABF
in chicken,” he said. The company
buys two chicken items, a 4. 5 ounce
filet and diced chicken. The products
are used in salads, wraps, potato dishes
and sandwiches – a total of 15 items
representing 30% of the menu.
Sustainability and other social
issues
Some chicken companies are going
to great lengths today to demonstrate
that they are in the middle of the
corporate social responsibility movement, emphasizing their commitment to environmental responsibility,
sustainability, animal welfare and
other issues. But the nagging question
remains: Do consumers care? Judging
from the marketers’ discussion, it
depends on who and where the consumers are.
“It’s a small issue today but it’s a
growing concern with our custom-
ers,” Beauvais said. “Sustainability
is much more of a concern in sea-
food” than in poultry, he added. The
concern tends to be concentrated
in demographic pockets in certain
markets, including Madison, Wis.;
Chicago; and Minneapolis-St. Paul,
he said. Mariano’s Fresh Markets, the
company’s upscale chain in Chicago,
is testing compostable expanded poly-
styrene packaging, but “people haven’t
noticed. There’s been very little con-
sumer comment on it.”
Balzer, who has been conducting
consumer research for many years,
warns the industry against thinking
that consumers are concerned enough
with social issues to participate in pay-
ing for them.
“These are all good questions, and
the consumer would want you to ad-
dress them,” he said. “But don’t buy
into the idea that they will pay 10%
more for it. That’s not true.”
“Consumers say, do I want an
environmentally friendly product?
Absolutely,” Balzer added. “Do I
want organically produced prod-
ucts? Absolutely. Do I want animal
welfare concerns [to be addressed]?
Absolutely. What I don’t want is for
you to charge me for it. In fact, that’s
the opportunity. If you can do that and
not charge me for it, I’ll be at your front
door.” ■
