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Casserole Study 2014/15 Mike Whittemore EBLEX Head of Trade Marketing
Casserole Study 2014/15
Mike Whittemore
EBLEX Head of Trade Marketing
Agenda
• Overview
• Phase 1 - Purchase/Analysis
• Phase 2 - Consumer Research
• Phase 3 - Cooking evaluation
• Phase 4 - In home cooking test/Labelling concept
• Summary/Next steps
Overview
Key Headlines
- Struggling long term volume performance for
stewing/casserole cuts
- Shoppers have bought in smaller volumes and less
often – impacting the category
- Drive for convenience places emphasis of quick/easy
meals
- Opportunity remains for casserole/stews as hearty
meal – providing cost effective meal options
Category is very seasonal - with clear peaks in winter.
There has been a long term pressure on volumes.
52 week levels
12.5% behind
last year.
20% lower
than 5 years
ago
- Long term movement from meat centred to dish based
cuisine
- Drive for convenience
- Time pressure in the home to cook and prepare
evening meals
- Consumer hunt for good value for money
- 43% UK adults own a slow cooker but slow cookers
are high on the list of unused kitchen items.
Beef Plan
……The Carcase Value
• An opportunity to address the
yoy decline in the
consumption of casseroling
and stewing cuts, by
educating the consumer in
terms of value meal options,
ease of cooking and making
stewing and casseroling
fashionable again
Phase 1 Purchase/Analysis
Phase One
Purchase/Analysis of current offer
• A 3 week trial early 2014 highlighted that the majority of products bought were
not consistent throughout weeks. Different cuts were being used. Cuts were
poorly butchered and many had excess fat and gristle
• On-pack product information was very inconsistent with each multiple
stipulating different cooking methods and times – many product’s cooking
methods did not match with product name e.g. braising steak - cooking
instructions ‘oven cook in casserole dish’.
• These issues are confusing the consumer. Inconsistent cuts and cooking
methods only leave consumers with negative perceptions which need to be
changed.
Product descriptions
• Stewing/Braising/Casserole ..What is the
difference ….?
• Different retailers – different descriptors – Majority
label Braising steak.
• One retailer labels as casserole. However, when
diced this becomes casserole.. or in premium
range same cut that appears in standard
becomes casserole steak…?
Phase 2 Consumer Research
Phase 2 - Consumer Research
• Qualitative research undertaken May 14
• 6 Consumer focus groups
• Objective of exploring consumer attitudes and opinions on stewing/casserole beef and lamb categories in light of heavily declining retail sales
• Key barriers and opportunities that may exist to expand the category.
• Online quantitative research was also conducted in July 2014 and consisted of 1000 primary shoppers who have used beef stewing/casserole cuts in the past 2 years
Results from both surveys echoed the same findings
Positive and negative associations
stews/casseroles
Evocative - emotional Functional
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The loudest finding
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The difference between
stewing/braising/casserole
On pack descriptions
Best for usage
They therefore use them interchangeably
thus diminishing cooking results and with it
category potential
Consumers are confused through a basic lack
of knowledge
Phase 3 – Cooking Trial
A cooking/tasting trial was conducted to identify any issues with
on-pack cooking times and instructions and to establish which
cut suits a specific cooking method and time.
9 products (from a range of different multiples) were tested. 8 of
the 9 products were poor and did not receive good feedback
from the panel of tasting judges.
Products scored very low due to poor/inconsistent cuts of meat
and inaccurate cooking instructions and times.
Phase 3
Key findings from cooking and tasting trial
Examples of poor cooking
instruction and times
• All cooking instructions and times were different in every multiple. 8/9 cooking
instructions/times were too high in temperature and too long in cooking time.
• Our recommendations for this product would be to cook at 150-160°C, gas
mark 3, for 2-2½ hours. The on-pack instructions which we followed produced
over-cooked, dry, flavourless meat. The instructions did not quantify how much
liquid to use as well.
• More modern serving suggestions should be included.
What would we do?
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•Clearer signposting to direct to category within
the fixture
•Information and graphics to inspire at the POP
with emotional prompts not just functional ones
•Segmenting the category to simplify and to
maximise potential with a logical pricing
ladder/quality hierarchy
•Consolidation and consistency of descriptions of
cuts
•Re- look at on-pack cooking instructions to
modernise serving suggestions and for accuracy
Tackle consumer
confusion
Simplify the category
Give lighter and lapsed
users the reason to fully
re-engage
http://www.eblextrade.co.uk/books/casserole-revival/index.html
Casserole revival available on trade
website www.eblextrade.co.uk
Placed under Reports & Publications
tab then click Catergory & Industry
Reports
Phase 4 – In home/Label Test
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Objectives
To understand consumers’ in-home cooking experience with stewing and
casserole dishes, following the EBLEX product cooking guidelines, in order to
encourage consumers to buy more red meat (beef & lamb) and return the
category to growth
To explore consumers’ reactions to the new proposed logo and signposting on
products, and recommend suggested communication improvements at the in-
store fixture
Methodology & sample
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• Experienced / confident current stew / casserole cooks (using hob / oven / slow cooker)
• Inexperienced / less confident current stew / casserole cooks (using hob / oven / slow cooker)
• Lapsed slow cooker users but current stew / casserole cooks (using hob / oven)
• Non-slow cooker users
• Non-stewing; cook with beef, but do not use stewing cuts
Combining 3 methodologies, to create synergy to reply in full to all the objectives
1. In-home depth interviews: 10 x 1.5 hour depths (3 men, 7 women)
2. Group discussions: 5 x 1.5 hour groups (2 men in each group)
3. Pre-task before the depth interviews and groups comprising cooking a beef casserole on hob/oven/slow
cooker, provided by EBLEX (4 cooking times: 2 hour, 2.5 hours, 3 hours, slow cook)
Qualitative research amongst 5 key targets in Stockport, Birmingham &
Hertfordshire; January 2015
Combining 3 methodologies, to create synergy to reply in full to all the objectives
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Logo
The logo needs to clearly & simply state that the beef
is suitable for all cooking methods
Likes Dislikes
• Clear
• Simple
• Bold, suitable colours
• States “slow cooking”
• Likely to become familiar with their ‘preferred’
cooking time / logo colour (over time)
• Does not explicitly state “stew / casserole /
oven / hob” which confuses less confident
cooks – “Is it suitable for the oven / slow
cooking?”
• To some, implies only hob cooking – due to
steam from pot
• To some “slow cooking” implies “slow cooker”
and so creates confusion e.g.
“I wouldn’t slow cook for 2 / 2.5 / 3 hours”
“Is it only suitable for slow cookers?”
(particularly for slow cooker novices)
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Recipes: overall
Recipes can stimulate purchase, and encourage purchase of additional ingredients;
may be kept for potential future use
On sleeve
Most preferred On logo
Least preferred
Tear off
Liked by many
The ideal place to spot a recipe
– on the product itself
Good stand out
If want more detail e.g.
ingredients, easy to check the
back of pack and buy
in-store
(Some) will keep
the recipe
for re-use
If sited on shelf edge, more
likely to pick up than if at store
entrance
Easy to check ingredients list,
for purchase during shopping
(Minority) may look too flimsy
(cheap)
(Minority) pick up, but then get
“lost” in handbag
(Minority) abused by some,
making the section look untidy
Unlikely to look at small print on
logo for a recipe
Recipe needs to be specific – or
no reason to look further
Unable to see the recipe without
folding it out, prior to purchase
(the fixture would look messy if
shoppers fold out the recipe
then don’t buy)
Potentially too small to read
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Recipes: single recipe vs. 3 in 1
The 3 in 1 recipes gives shoppers more choice;
more likely to find something to inspire them
Single 3 in 1
Simple and easy to view, from front of
pack
Ingredients & method font is large
enough to read in-store (if desired)
Off-putting if the
recipe is unappealing
Really liked, as gives shoppers lots of
flexibility
Mix of traditional and ‘new’ liked; other
recipe suggestions included: Beef in red wine (not beef bourguignon)
Beef goulash
Beef Rogan Josh (a ‘traditional’ Indian curry rather
than a Thai curry)
Beef stroganoff
Some queried suitability of “Beef Thai Curry” (felt
chicken would be more suitable) but
others liked the idea, as
not previously considered
How to fit all the 3 recipes on
the back of pack & still be
readable
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Good experience
Tender
Tasty
Flavoursome
Melt in the mouth
For some, reminiscent of stews cooked by
mothers / grandmothers
Wholesome
Healthy (if cooked in stock, with herbs and
real veg)
Hearty
Warming (winter meal)
Chunks of beef (not falling apart)
Bad experience
Tough
Chewy
Too much / too little liquid
Tasteless
For a few, reminiscent of (tough/scraggy)
stews cooked by mothers / grandmothers
Dull (not exciting enough for teenagers)
Takes too long to cook
Stewing & casserole beef quality – the eating experience
A good experience leads to re-purchase
“If my family love it, I’m happy!”
“My mum & nan make stews, and
theirs are really good”
Group 3 (Lapsed)
“After a 12-hour shift, I’ll come home to a thin gravy,
watery chicken & vegetable ‘soup’”
Group 3 (Lapsed)
Good experience Bad experience
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Price
Majority unable to articulate the differences in different cuts of stewing beef, and why they
might be less or more expensive
Typical price expected for 500g (2.5 hour cook time) in e.g. Asda / Morrisons /
Sainsbury / Tesco: £4.00-£5.00
• Many expected to pay less if on offer e.g. 3 for £10
• Many stated that different cook times would be the same price: “Why would I pay more?”
• On reflection almost all expected to pay: • More for a 2 hour cooking time
• Less for a 3 hour cooking time
• “You’re paying for a quicker cooking time – does that mean a better cut of beef?”
• Typical price points for 2 hour / 3 hour cook time were: • 50p (to £1) / pack more for a 2 hour cooking time (than 2.5 hour)
• 50p (to £1) / pack less for a 3 hour cooking time (than 2.5 hour)
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Meat aisle: current & proposed section
Does not encourage browsing;
grab & go, particularly swayed by offers
Current Proposed
Lots of choice
Too much “of the same”
– all looks similar – how to
choose?
A sea of meat; apart from the
sections depicting species, there is very
little recall of segmentation beyond this
Confusing
Clinical
Cold (emotionally)
Austere
All really liked the
idea of a dedicated
section
Many use the aisle to give them
inspiration and welcome retailers
who can help shoppers choose good
wholesome meals at good prices
The combination of the header panel,
bus stop and shelf edge labels clearly
identify the section
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In-store communication:
“Slowly does it”
The key in-store communication needs to emphasise the benefits of cooking slowly, rather than the time it
takes to cook
• “Slowly does it” is liked as a concept, with very few negative connotations, the key negative being
“it takes time – however you look at it”
• Most appreciate that these (cheaper) cuts of beef take time to cook properly
• The most important messages to convey are:
“If you cook this beef for this length of time, with this recipe, you will
have a meal that is:
Tender / tasty / flavoursome – and really good VFM”
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All proposed communication helps to bring this section together;
THE place to look for stewing and casserole beef
In-store communication tools
Bus stop Header panel Shelf edge labels
1° impact
The sign ‘flags’ up the section
90° angle gives prominence
Demarcates the section,
separating it from other beef &
protein
Looks “different” to the rest of the
meat aisle
(Minority) – likely to bump into it –
would get in the way of people
shopping
1° / 2° impact
Colour-coded logos on each shelf
clearly demarcates the cooking
times
Recipes on the shelf edge give
meal solution ideas
Shelf edge colour is recessive;
needs to be the ‘logo’ colour to
bring prominence to each cooking
time
2° impact
Large
Impactful
Demarcates the section from the
rest of the aisle
Unlikely to look up when shopping More likely to look ahead
Shorter women even less
likely to claim to look up
1st
BUS STOP
• Allows for identification of the slow
cooking section from the top and
bottom of the aisle, so a good sign
post to get the shopper to the right
section
• A new / different idea for the meat
section and potentially could
prompt shoppers to consider
cooking using this this type of meat
/ approach
1st
RECIPES
• Tear off is considered a different /
interesting approach, however the
concept of encouraging the
shopper to look at different ways of
cooking and new dishes is of real
interest to all (particularly
inexperienced cooks)
HEADER PANEL
• The bus stop will get the shopper to
the right section, the header panel
confirms the section (so does a
similar role although cannot so
easily be seen from the top and
bottom of the aisle)….
• ….however it does create an
impact once seen
3rd
SHELF EDGING
• Shelf edging is appreciated for
assistance in finding the right cooking
duration (most feel once they have
found the right section they will be
able to find the right products for
them – via the colour logos /
identifiers
• The current treatment is a little bland
and harmonises with the wider meat
aisle and hence does not stand out (a
more prominent treatment could have
more stand out and replace the
header panel)
2nd
In-store communication prioritisation
The bus stop and on-shelf recipes have most impact; they help shoppers to identify
the right section as well as potentially inspiring them with new ideas
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Key in-store messages for this section
Focus on the
BENEFITS of cooking slowly
Shoppers are only spending seconds at the fixture, so messages need to be
Explicit, Clear, Simple
• This section is for stews & casseroles
• The end result will give you a tender / tasty / flavoursome meal
• The product is really good value (about) £5 worth of meat for a family of four
• Healthy; using seasonal vegetables that take minimal preparation (peeling) or no preparation
(pre-prepared)
• Choose our recommended recipes, your family favourites, or add your own packet mix
• Equivalent of “Chosen by You” i.e. cook it our way for the right length of time and you won’t be
disappointed
• Pop in the pot and it cooks slowly for tender & tasty results (hob / oven / slow cooker)
Revised logo
Summary/Next steps
Summary
• Mass confusion/consumers lack confidence in product
and their ability to cook
• Focus on the BENEFITS of cooking slowly rather than
takes a long time to cook
• Proposed signposting cooking instruction helps bring
section together
• Recipes at fixture can stimulate purchase, looking for
inspiration
• Logos need addressing but loved the idea
• Good experience leads to repurchase
Next steps
• Communication to trade February 2015
• 1-2-1 meetings arranged March/April 2015 Support
packages discussed
• Development of concepts pre September 2015 Consumer
and trade marketing support pre Winter range
implementation
• For more information contact
• Trade website
• www.eblextrade.co.uk
Thank you
