The ability to create customisable, high-quality burgers will give processors a competitive edge, according to machinery supplier Marel.
Although this summer’s weather has been less than ideal, burgers sales across the UK fared much better. According to market research from Kantar, burger sales saw notable spikes over the last five months.
Sales jumped by 13% during the May bank holiday and surged by an impressive 32% in the four weeks leading up to 4th August 2024, compared to the previous year. Overall, burgers continue to account for roughly 10.1% of total volume share within the beef category (AHDB). And with major sports events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games presenting retailers with opportunities to put products on promotion, sales show that there is a sustained appetite for the barbeque staple.
As the saying goes, ‘when one chapter closes, another begins.’ With the end of the year now approaching, processors are gearing up for next year’s peak season; and according to meat processing machinery supplier Marel, a key trend to watch is the growing demand for more variety in burger textures and fibre alignments.
In fact, Marel’s Revo FiberFlex system was specifically designed to meet this demand. Described as a “groundbreaking” machine, the Revo FiberFlex combines the best elements of the RevoPortioner and the PremiumFormer, and creates high-quality burgers with customisable fibre orientations.
“When creating new burger products for the summer season, one of the main challenges processors face is catering to various customer preferences,” explained Cécile Canivet, global marketing manager at Marel. “Some consumers prefer tender-fresh burgers, whilst others go for a homestyle option. These products vary in fibre thickness and offer different eating experiences.
“Ultimately, processors need the flexibility to create a range of products, with specifications varying from thick vertical fibre to finer fibres. That’s why we developed the Revo FiberFlex system.”
The Revo FiberFlex features a unique way of filling the moulds of the forming drum, giving processors control over the size, orientation and spacing of their product’s fibres. Its low-pressure forming ensures unparalleled product shape consistency and weight accuracy. Across the entire belt width, product specifications are met. The way the burgers’ fibres are orientated minimises shrinkage during cooking, preserving the burger’s shape and size for an appealing post-cooking appearance.
“Ultimately, processors need the flexibility to create a range of products… that’s why we developed the Revo FiberFlex system.”
The system also offers a multitude of options in terms of shapes, sizes and surface indentations. This gives processors more flexibility than ever to produce a variety of regional or local specialty burgers.
Canivet continued: “Its portioning and forming technology, cleverly combined into a single high-capacity machine, allows processors to generate large volumes of burgers with a premium bite, with the option to vary the burger style.”
Whilst we can only hope for better weather next year, what we can say is that innovations like the Revo FiberFlex will be key in helping processors meet the growing demand for variety and quality across their burger offering.
