The pandemic changed the way we interact with retailers of all shapes and sizes, including the grocery sector. And the online grocery market saw rapid growth, with an overall increased comfort in purchasing groceries online, whether through click and collect or delivery service.  

With that said, there remain segments where consumers are less accustomed to buying online, including fresh meats.  In fact, a recent survey by Midan Marketing showed only 34 percent of meat shoppers say their primary method for purchasing meat after COVID will be online.  We know there are barriers to shopping the fresh meats category, and when shoppers can’t see and feel products, especially fresh meats, they are often less confident about making the online purchase as a result. So how do we start to help consumers better navigate the fresh meats digital shelf and help our retail partners grow their online business? 

We innovate. Recently, we began using proprietary artificial intelligence technology to optimize the presentation of our products on the digital shelf. This technology helps us gain a new understanding of the unique wants and needs of digital consumers and their visual shopping preference by ranking and prioritizing the imagery and messaging that resonates most with them.

The data collected will enable us to compare digital content on an ongoing basis so we’re able to help consumers make more confident selection when purchasing fresh meats online.

The grocery industry and its partners are working hard to keep-up with the speed at which e-commerce is growing, and it’s an exciting time to collaborate and bring forward new solutions.  With the right information, we can help shoppers navigate the digital shelf and bring category leadership to our retail grocery partners.  

Check out the recent article on this topic featured in Food Dive.