Carving an upscale niche

Land O Frost Bistro Favorites all flavors

"Bistro Favorites fills a gap in the category for an artisan-style luncheon meat in quality, but in a convenient and attractive package," says Stephan Williams, vp marketing for Land O' Frost. "The product itself takes its cue from small boutique restaurants that specialize in simple, classic fare. The package provides an elegant display for the quality of the product with its unique shape, black tray and clear lid."

The high-end tray-and-lid package serves to differentiate Bistro Favorites from any other luncheon meats on the market-particularly deli-style meats in reclosable rigid tub-and-lid packaging that have become a popular staple in the luncheon meat case. An added bonus is that resealable, high-barrier Bistro Favorites packaging costs up to 50 percent less than traditional tub-and-lid packaging, largely because it uses less material and eliminates the need for an inner pouch to protect product freshness. The new package also sets the exclusive bistro-style luncheon meats apart from the balance of the Land O' Frost line, which is marketed in flexible pouches.

A bistro in every package
First test-marketed in late 2008 with great success, Land O' Frost launched the premium Bistro Favorites brand nationally in the spring of 2009. It has already gained distribution in about 40 percent of all supermarkets in the U.S.

Bistro Favorites luncheon meats feature bold flavor profiles that appeal to a more adult palette. The savory, freshly carved taste is achieved by hand-applying topical seasonings, then oven roasting the meat in open baskets. It is critical for the package to immediately convey that Bistro Favorites lunchmeats offer a premium experience and help elevate the brand above typical deli-style luncheon meats.

Complementing the distinctive shape of the luncheon meat slices, the contour of the Bistro Favorites package creates an instant visual point of difference in the retail case. The black tray color stands alone in the category, drawing attention to the quality of the brand. A pressure-sensitive black ribbon label identifies the brand and meat variety, which includes Black Forest Ham, Honey Glazed Ham, Smoked Turkey Breast, Smoked Ham, Rotisserie Turkey Breast, Roast Beef, Black Pepper Beef and Chipotle Turkey Breast.

Allowing consumers to see the quality of the meat and seasonings helps drive home the product difference. A high-clarity OPET lamination with a reclosable high-barrier anti-fog sealant is used for the lidding. Anti-fog helps reduce condensation and product fogging to maintain a clear viewing window. The clarity of the lidding combines with the ribbon-shaped label for maximum product viewability. Finally, the peel/reseal style package provides the convenience of reclosability for a multi-serve package.

LOF Bistro product loading

Because any successful package has to reinforce the nature and positioning of the brand, the upscale Bistro Favorites package protects the meat's exceptional quality and incorporates ease of opening, reclosure and storage-all essential elements to creating a positive consumer experience.

"Our goal was to develop a package that maintained its functionality throughout the time the consumer used the product," says Carl Abbott, vp of procurement for Land O' Frost. "We also wanted to eliminate the need for consumers to transfer the meat to another container or use additional storage to keep the product fresh."

Land O' Frost expects the Bistro Favorites package to maintain product integrity over an 80-plus-day shelf life. Both the polyester-based tray and OPET-based lidding incorporate high-barrier sealants to protect freshness and flavor throughout retail display and home storage. The lidding eliminates product fading to maintain a wholesome and appealing product appearance.

To ensure smooth opening and reliable reclosure over multiple uses, the package features Curwood's award-winning EZ Peel Reseal technology. Land O' Frost statistically validated that the reclose feature would retain its re-tack and functionality over 10 uses, which is beyond the expected life of the product. The company also worked with Curwood engineers to design a handy grip tab into the lower left corner of the package to aid opening. An icon identifies the location of the grip tab and highlights the convenient peel/reclose feature for the consumer.

LOF Bistro tray sealing

Filling the need for speed
"We chose Curwood as our packaging partner because of their expertise in coextruded structures for retail meat and cheese applications, coupled with their extensive knowledge of material machinability," says Abbott. "The collaborative efforts of Land O' Frost's and Curwood's technical development and design personnel contributed to a successful design, and helped speed the package to market from concept to consumer shelf readiness."

From the project's outset, Land O' Frost wanted to take advantage of their existing high-speed equipment to produce the new Bistro Favorites package. The goal was to minimize capital expenditures, drive efficiencies and shorten time to market. With Curwood's strong knowledge of both material science and equipment, their team was able to help Land O' Frost easily achieve these objectives.

LOF Bistro conveying

With its exceptional 2010 growth and widespread distribution, Land O' Frost is anticipating that the Bistro Favorites line will continue to carve more share of the luncheon meat market.

"We have the strongest consumer and marketing support to date planned for Bistro Favorites in 2011," says Williams. "We're building on the brand's success with refreshed front label graphics, and expect continued strong consumer acceptance and growth trends."

Look for the new Bistro Favorites luncheon meats in grocery stores nationwide.

Source: Curwood, A Bemis Co.

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