Porking up sales

 

 

Saying pork gets no respect in fast casual would be an exaggeration, but the truth is it's largely a second-stringer in the menu lineup. At traditional restaurants, loins and chops get prime-time, center-of-the-plate positions, while in sandwich-centered fast casual, bacon and ham serve most often as savory supplements to the flavor profile of a single dish.

 

That's starting to change, however, as an increasing number of American chefs are pushing pork to stand on its own in what Jeff Sinelli, founder of Which Wich, calls a "center-of-the-sandwich" way. Several concepts have used sliced pork loin in panini and other pressed sandwiches, it's a stir-fry staple in Asian concepts, and in fresh-Mex, its popularity in tacos and burritos is on the rise.

 

Chris Campagna, vice president of marketing for Atlanta Bread Co. (ABC), said his company's increasing use of pork reflects consumer desire for more flavorful products rather than an increased demand for the protein.

 

"They've told us they want bolder flavors, sexier ingredients and different flavor profiles," said Campagna, adding that customers are asking for more hot sandwiches in general. ABC serves a Cuban pork loin panino using spicy pepper jack

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cheese, spicy mustard and roasted pickled onions. The top-10 seller is hot-pressed between slices of focaccia. "We are looking to possibly reengineer that particular item with a slightly spicier pork — not spicy-hot, but a bolder flavor that jumps out at you."

 

Which Wich's Cuban sandwich mirrors the classic island creation marrying pork loin with ham and pickles. Customers can vary from the standard by choosing their own cheeses and condiments. Which Wich also has a straight pork loin sandwich, as well as a ham and pineapple sandwich called The Hula. All selections are $4.25.

 

"Pork's a great meat because it takes well to other flavors and marinades; it's versatile," Sinelli said. "Which Wich's offering includes a variety over 55 sandwiches, so we need to diversify our proteins to achieve a balance in the mix. Ham and bacon are always around, but doing it this way gives us another way of presenting the pig."

 

 

Two years ago, U.S. pork prices climbed sharply when demand in Asian countries soared in the wake of America's brief Mad Cow scare. While forbidding American beef imports, Asians sought more pork and pressured the domestic supply.

 

Not long after, and even before the resumption of beef exports to the Far East, pork producers met demand and prices leveled off before heading to current levels. According to Eric Justice, culinary director at Pei Wei, pork's affordability makes it an attractive menu option for the 110-unit quick-casual chain.

 

"We don't make as much money on it as we make on chicken, but it's definitely profitable for us," said Justice. "A lot of pork cuts are pulled on a little more and their prices go up, but the price on the center-cut loin we use stays consistent."

 

Justice said if prices rose again, the company simply would charge more for its pork dishes like the Mongolian — without concern that customers would mind. "Guests value it enough that we expect they'd pay for it. It's just a great product."

 

Chris Arnold, director of hoopla, hype and ballyhoo at Chipotle Mexican Grill, said the chain's switch to an all-natural pork meant it and its customers paid more.

 

"When we made the change to the Niman Ranch pork, we had to raise prices by a dollar, which, at our price point, that's a big swing," Arnold said. Niman hogs eat only vegetariandiets and are raised in fields or in wide-berth barns. "Our carnitas went from being the cheapest thing on the menu to the most expensive thing."

 

Despite the increase, carnitas sales doubled, which Arnold credited partly to a diligent in-store marketing effort explaining why Chipotle switched to naturally raised hog products.

 

"We thought we needed to explain why we took such a sizable increase," he said. "What we saw was an overwhelming willingness to pay more for something they recognized as a better product and better for them."

 

Chipotle's carnitas are made from pork shoulder seasoned with juniper berries, oregano, salt, pepper and bay leaves. They're then braised and slow-cooked for six hours before being shredded for easy insertion into burritos, tacos or salads.

 

 

Despite strong increases in pork purchases at retail, no one interviewed expects more than a modest increase in pork consumption in the near future at restaurants. However some believe that as Americans embrace more international cuisines, they'll want the pork they do buy prepared in ways that reflect those foods' origins.

 

"As people use it in different ways — not just as a heavy, thick entrée — you'll see new things, but not necessarily more sales," Justice said. When Pei Wei switched from using pork butts to brined pork loins in its stir-frys, sales of pork dishes rose 25 percent, he added. "You can get a lot more creative with pork than you can chicken, and its flavor is a nice departure from beef."