Consumer Preferences Related to Pork Cuts Evolve

A retired southwestern Manitoba butcher-meat cutter says, when it comes to the various cuts of pork, consumer preferences have changed dramatically over the past 20 years.Since COVID consumers have been contending with steadily increasing food prices.

Hubert Muckel, who retired in 2023 after working more than 50 years as a butcher-meat cutter, estimates food prices have approximately doubled over the past four years with the price of medium ground pork, for example, going from about $1.99 a pound to over $4.50 a pound for the same product.

Quote- Hubert Muckel-Retired Southwestern Manitoba Butcher:

In the last 20 years the pork cuts changed.When they started having bellies on the stock market the price on belly went from a few cents a pound right to 99 cents and it came so that the small butcher shops couldn't afford to buy bellies anymore. Everything went into the bacon and then all of a sudden people wanted sweet and sour ribs and the side ribs, which used to be just a byproduct, became very popular and they're still popular.

It's the same with bellies.The bellies are more expensive than you can buy a pork tenderloin right now.Pork loins, I noticed lately they must be over produced here in southwestern Manitoba because you can buy boneless pork loins for $2.50 a pound in the grocery stores where a sausage costs you $5.00 a pound.

Muckel acknowledges prices will fluctuate, depending on the time of year and who is willing to pay more.
He suggests shopping around for the best prices, checking out grocery store specials on line and buying product in bulk and freezing it for later use.
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