RED DEER Ñ For the current generation of cooks, preparing a turkey dinner is something grandmothers do at Christmas.
A major western Canadian poultry processor wants to change that, shifting beyond the traditional turkey meals to something more convenient and interesting for modern consumers.
Doug Hart, product manager for Lilydale Foods, said one idea is a barbecue-style bird weighing 10-12 pounds to encourage people to eat turkey in summer.
“You’ll probably be seeing that in the stores in at least two to three months,” he told the Alberta poultry industry conference in Red Deer March 1.
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Another idea is to sell cooked rotisserie turkeys similar to roasted chickens that are already available on the spit in grocery stores. Customers can take home a hot, fully cooked package for a ready to eat meal.
Delis are selling more fat-free turkey with a homemade flavour and Lilydale-branded tray packs of turkey cuts will be available in major grocery stores across Canada this year.
“Some of the opportunities to grow our business may not be in the most lucrative places,” Hart said.
Alberta turkey producers joined their provincial counterparts for a national marketing program to try “turkey for dinner” to convince people to eat turkey beyond festive seasons. Menu items such as McDonald’s turkey sandwich have helped these campaigns.
A survey following the campaign showed 48 percent of consumers reported eating turkey at least once a month, with Alberta among the highest.
Producers should start seeing televisions ads every week of the year featuring Lilydale products aimed at women 25-50 because they are the main food buyers.
The Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency reports Canadians produced 144 million kilograms of turkey and imported four million kg in 2004. Per capita consumption is a little more than four kg per year.
