Some consumers still prefer traditional meals like steak and vegetables, beef roasts, or lamb chops.
Mince is very popular with consumers and spaghetti bolognese is still the number one meal with consumers.
- Chris Nicklin, Coles Red Meat manager
But for the majority of Australian families, the most popular meal is still the humble old ‘spag bol’.
That’s according to Coles red meat manager Chris Nicklin who said spaghetti bolognese had retained its number one spot on Australian dinner plates.
“Our mince is marketed from two star through to five star and is graded relative to its fat content,” Mr Nicklin said.
“It is ideal for making burgers and meat balls through to spaghetti bolognese.
“Selling mince is a way we can keep meat on the menu.
“Another big seller is the tenderised sizzle steak, which is a consumer favourite for the popular stir fry dishes.”
Mr Nicklin said when shopping for red meat consumers looked for an Australian product, consistency, competitive prices, great specials and clean packaging presentation.
MLA’s general manager central marketing and industry insights, Lisa Sharpe, agreed with Mr Nicklin.
“The popular batting order is mince, sizzle steak that includes rump, followed by sausages,” Ms Sharpe said.
“Our research shows 65 per cent of meat volume consumed represents these three categories and this mainly for its versatility. Overall red meat consumption is slightly down at the moment, but that is due to price.
“We interviewed consumers last year, and found that 56 per cent of households think protein first, as it is essential to meal planning.
“We found 70 per cent of meals are planned on the day and 34 per cent are planned in less than 24 hours.
“Quick and easy is the key for consumers, and convenience is the driver.
“Our data shows the most popular cuisine is Italian, and that is where is mince is used, and followed by Asian cooking, where the sizzle and rump steak is used making stir fry a popular choice, while Mexican meals are too a popular choice.”
Ms Sharpe said the most popular cooking style was frying, again indicating both mince, and sizzle steaks, while only 30 per cent used a grilling cooking method. - Australian consumer beef consumption data provided by Nielsen.