Beef Flavor Preferences Study
Are you giving your customers what they want? Do you know what they want? Despite all the trend talk of ethnic flavors and exotic spices filling consumers wish lists, it turns out that what they want is what they’ve always wanted when it comes to enhancing the flavor of beef.
The 2005 Beef Flavor Preferences Study, funded by beef checkoff dollars through Cattlemen’s Beef Board, was just completed in October 2005. The following preliminary information was presented by Dave Zino, Director of the Culinary Center, at AMI’s Meat Industry Research Conference on October 25, 2005. Additional information on this study will be available in a future issue of Retail Beef Blast and on this website.
Findings from this study indicate flavor preferences have remained relatively unchanged when compared to results from an identical study conducted in 2002:
|
2002 |
2005 |
|
Top 5 Most Liked Flavors*:
1. Onion (64%)
2. Garlic (55%)
3. Herb (36%)
4. Worcestershire Sauce (29%)
5. Lemon/Citrus Juice (21%) |
Top 5 Most Liked Flavors*:
1. Onion (58%)
2. Garlic (52%)
3. Herb (33%)
4. Worcestershire Sauce (26%)
5. Lemon/Citrus Juice (19%) |
|
Top 5 Most Liked Sauces or Accompaniments**:
- Sliced Cheese (49%)
- BBQ Sauce (47%)
- Brown Gravy (45%)
- Mushrooms/Mushroom Sauce (42%)
- Tie; Grated Cheese & Tomato Sauce (41%)
|
Top 5 Most Liked Sauces or Accompaniments**:
- Sliced Cheese (48%)
- BBQ Sauce (45%)
- Mushrooms/Mushroom Sauce (43%)
- Tomato Sauce (42%)
- Grated Cheese (39%)
|
*Top 5 Most Liked Flavors are the percentage of respondents that “Strongly Liked” the flavor with beef (i.e. gave it a rating of 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale)
**Top 5 Most Liked Sauces/Accompaniments are the percentage of respondents that “Strongly Liked” the sauce or accompaniment with beef (i.e. gave it a rating of 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale)
How does this translate into useful information for you?
- Merchandise the most popular flavor components right inside or near the meat case.
- Use maps or signs that detail where within the store they can find the preferred flavor accompaniments.
- “Tease” them into remembering their flavor preferences with small signs that say things like “Complement your holiday roast with a garlic-herb rub!”