New Consumer Research to be Released at Annual Meat Conference

Washington, D.C. – New research highlighting consumer meat product and promotion preferences, shopping behavior and the growth of the natural and organic market will all be presented at the 2007 Annual Meat Conference, Feb. 18-20, 2007 at the Caribe Royale Orlando All-Suites Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Information presented at the session is based on a joint consumer study by the American Meat Institute (AMI) and the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and will be presented by Anne-Marie Roerink, director of research at FMI.

Highlights from the study include:
• In-store sales promotions and signs have the highest impact on the quantity of meat purchased.
• Over one-third of shoppers compare meat prices at different stores before shopping and half compare prices of different meat and poultry products within the store.
• Over half of shoppers keep ready-to-heat products in stock at home.
• One-fifth of shoppers stated that better customer assistance would prompt increased meat purchases.

Results from the study will be released during the session and presented in an actionable format for immediate applicability within any organization.

Co-sponsored by AMI and FMI, the conference has become the industry’s premier meat marketing and operations educational program, designed to bring together every segment of the retail meat and poultry supply chain. Associate sponsors include the American Lamb Board, Canadian Meat Council, National Chicken Council, National Pork Board, The Beef Checkoff and National Turkey Federation.

Registration can be completed online or by submitting a registration form. Registration is $695 per person ($645 for three or more registrations from the same company). Five or more retailers/wholesalers attending together receive the special group discount of $515.

The Conference is also offering a special first timer registration rate of $300 for retailer/wholesaler member companies who have not attended the conference during the previous three years. For additional information, call (202) 220-0708.

For more information, registration and ongoing updates, visit the Annual Meat Conference Web site at http://www.meatconference.com.