The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is gearing up to launch its ‘midweek meal’ campaign which aims to promote British pork to UK consumers.
This campaign, which began four years ago, relaunches on 16th January 2021 and will run for a six-week period, closing on 26th February 2021.
Initially launching through a nationwide TV advert, the campaign will look to further enhance consumer attitudes towards pork, all in a bid to bring longevity to the recent increase of sales within the category.
A range of follow-up social media activity will promote specific recipe ideas and incentivise followers to share their experiences.
During the previous burst of activity in January 2020, the ‘Mix Up Your Midweek’ campaign reached a total of 26.3 million homes (94%) in the UK, with eight out of ten people saying the TV ad made them want to buy pork, according to AHDB.
"We’re delighted that a growing number of consumers are building the habit of eating pork mid-week, enjoying its nutritious and flavoursome qualities in easy and versatile ways that really suit their way of life."
The organisation also asserts that after an unprecedented year, a range of meat cuts, including pork medallions, have benefitted from consumers being increasingly housebound. More than 559 million extra meals have been what is described as “cooked from scratch” at home this year.
To encourage even more consumers to cook with pork, recipe kits are being sent to butchers and farm shops across the country. Each contains recipe cards and posters that promote pork’s flavour profile, as well as showcasing its health benefits.
AHDB strategy director for pork, Angela Christison, said: “The pork medallion is officially recognised as being just as healthy as chicken breast, yet this has remained largely unknown until recently. We’re delighted that a growing number of consumers are building the habit of eating pork mid-week, enjoying its nutritious and flavoursome qualities in easy and versatile ways that really suit their way of life.
“From Piri Piri Pork Medallions to Pork Medallions Ramen, there are so many options for consumer to enjoy the lean and tender nature of this cut. Pork medallions are a star ingredient of so many world cuisines, quick and easy to prepare and they carry flavours beautifully” added Christison.
Britain’s growing embrace of pork medallions is reflected through the rise in sales nationwide, with numbers up 36% since the onset of the campaign, according to the levy board.
Furthermore, AHDB claims pork medallion sales are contributing to pork’s increasing regularity in midweek meal routines across the country stating that an extra one in ten British households are now making good use of pork’s qualities throughout the week.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
