revolutionary new packaging has led to a boost in beef sales in asda stores across the uk.like for like sales have seen beef roasting joints rise by 18 per cent and fresh beef joint sales by 21 per cent all since the introduction of the new "butcher&39 selection roast in the tray beef joints" featuring british and irish meat.jim viggars, asda&39s senior red meat trader, said the innovative packs allow the beef to be cooked in the wrapping. &ldquonot only does this cut out a lot of hassle and reduce waste it also has the added benefits of cutting average cooking times by a third and ensures customers get a perfectly cooked joint of beef every time," he said." all the customer has to do once they get the joint home is remove the cardboard sleeve from the joint and pop it in the oven in the sealed tray. then the tray works its magic and they have a perfectly cooked joint ready for the table.&rdquomr viggars said the innovation was in response to farmer feedback. &ldquomany of our beeflink farmers had seen what had been done in the poultry sector with roast in the bag chickens and asked if anything similar could be done with beef.&ldquowe took a look at it and have developed the &lsquoroast in the tray&rsquo joints as a result. it&rsquos a great example of collaboration in the beef supply chain between farmers, processors and retailers and shows the value in asdaabp beeflink."the good news is that the increased demand from shoppers means the company needs more prime beef from its beeflink farmers.adam quinney, worcestershirebased asdaabp beeflink farmer, praised the innovation as a revolution in beef marketing. &ldquothis is exactly the sort of innovation we need to see in beef marketing to help drive sales and add value to the carcass,&rdquo he said.&ldquoit addresses so many of the problems facing the beef market at the moment with consumers not having the knowledge of how to cook beef or the time to cook large joints.&ldquothese &lsquoroast in the tray&rsquo joints are an ideal size for a midweek meal and make things incredibly easy for the consumer. everyone in the beef sector needs to recognise the needs of the modern consumer and develop products such as this which fit the modern lifestyle.&rdquomr quinney said adding value through innovations such as this was the best way to counter the large proportion of carcasses currently being processed in to mince. &ldquoit is innovation and promotion of these value added cuts which will drive and secure the future of the beef industry,&rdquo he said.
