Grilling Forecast

Not Just Meat on the Grill

Given the rise of plant-based eating over the past few years, grocers can also tout ideas for flexitarians, vegans and others who are looking for inventive ways to grill plant-based foods. For instance, meat departments can feature plant-based meat alternatives like El Segundo, Calif.-based Beyond Meat’s new plant-based steak. Additionally, produce departments do well when promoting grill-ready plant-based items like peppers, corn and eggplant, to name a few.

Retailers can also take a cue — no ’cue pun intended — from chefs who have experimented with nontraditional foods on the grill, from lemons to lettuce and from pound cake to doughnuts. Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle, for its part, shares recipes on its website for making fruits and desserts on the grill, such as a grilled banana split and s’mores nachos. On Brandt Beef’s recipe pages, Chef Rodgers provides a recipe for grilled romaine lettuce.

Consumers’ elevated taste expectations and experiences are reflected in accompaniments for grilled fare, too. Leading brioche brand St Pierre, for instance, has found success with its brioche buns for hamburgers and hot dogs, and the U.K. company added sesame seed brioche burger buns to its line of “grilling must-haves” last year.

adding: “Ribs are a great way to kick off this grilling season and experiment all summer long, with a variety of options like St. Louis ribs, spareribs and back ribs, which are conveniently available at Walmart stores around the country. Other cuts to try this summer would be bone-in or boneless pork loin chops, pork tenderloin, or a pork tomahawk chop, which offers the best of both worlds, with a rib and chop all in one cut.”

Likewise, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, based in Arkansas City, Kan., is helping home cooks beef up their grilling prowess. “This is part of the reason why in 2021, Creekstone Farms formalized a longstanding relationship with All Things BBQ and Yoder Smokers,” says Director of Marketing Dan Stewart. “Partnering with these suppliers of premium grilling and smoking equipment is a win-win.”

"While we’re not launching any new products for grilling season this year, we are working with retailers to offer an attractive promotional calendar, kick-starting grilling season with increased marketing for National Brioche Day (May 14), which this year coincides with Mother’s Day, and we have market-leading fill rates," says Neil Pittman, director of U.S. sales for St Pierre Bakery.

With “The Barbecue Bible” now in its 25th year of publishing, Raichlen notes that the food retailing industry and consumers have come a long way since. “When I wrote the book initially, I had to give workarounds for things like lemongrass and coconut milk — ingredients that were not available in mainstream grocery stores,” he recounts. “Now I’m amazed that grocery stores offer a dozen different types of peppers, and they have coconut milk and many different types of fish sauces. The [grocery] industry has really responded, and that’s great.”

Suppliers also continue to roll out new products for home cooks. Palatine, Ill.-based Weber, for example, is making a splash with its new electric grill that offers multiple functions in a modern design. Meanwhile, the Watkins Co. is an example of a CPG that is introducing new items in time for grilling season: The Winona, Minn.-based company recently expanded into the salt-free category by adding three new flavors to its 1868 Organic Grilling Seasoning line, including seasonings for chicken and steak.

Light it Up

As retailers and CPG companies ready their grilling fare, when is the best time to kick off in-store merchandising efforts? Although grilling is a year-round pursuit for many aficionados, there is a certain seasonality to such promotions.

Given economic and weather patterns, those promotions may be backed up a bit this year, according to Flickinger. “Typically, the grilling season starts Memorial Day,” he notes. “Nevertheless, this year will be different — you’ve got many more people eating and entertaining at home because this is the first full calendar year [after COVID restrictions] with family and friends, and because more people are eating at home rather than eating away from home,” due to higher menu prices at steakhouses and other restaurants.

“Also, with the La Nina weather pattern, the weather is supposed to be warmer across the U.S. this spring, which will encourage grilling,” adds Flickinger, “and over spring vacation, people will be traveling locally instead of long distance.”

Several brands will soon roll out new grilling promotions. At Creekstone Farms, the brand is supporting retailers with consumer-facing campaigns. “As grilling season approaches, we include grilling tips and inspiration in our newsletters, and we will heavily promote Creekstone Farms ahead of major grilling holidays like Father’s Day and the Fourth of July,” notes Stewart. One World Beef’s brands, including Brandt Beef, are likewise ramping up efforts for the season. According to Summers, “We work closely with chefs and restaurants around the world to develop our beef offering, polishing traditional favorites and developing innovative beef experiences to bring to store shelves and, ultimately, to the home chef.”