The Coronavirus-Related Amplification Of Specialty Meat And Seafood Deliveries

While isolating during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis many consumers are turning to food delivery options instead of regularly going to grocery stores. Food delivery options include major grocery stores, meal kits and bulk meat and seafood orders from brands like Omaha Steaks and Wild Alaskan Company. 

Wild Alaskan Company founder Arron Kallenberg said the company experienced record-breaking membership additions in March, and with less product going to restaurants, the brand is uniquely positioned to meet consumer demand during this unusual time. As isolation continues and consumers adapt their shopping habits, bulk seafood and meat brands may be able to provide needed services while amplifying their market positions and consumer engagement. Here’s a round-up of a few popular delivery services. 

Porter Road Recently Added Subscriptions

This Nashville-based butcher sells 100% pasture-raised beef from Kentucky and Tennessee, with all butchering and portioning done on site at the Porter Road facility. Shipped fresh and known for quality, Porter Road recently added a subscription service. Subscribers can choose  two-, four- or eight-week delivery schedules, and options range from all-beef boxes to the Grill Master, which includes sausages and other grill faves. There are also more than 20 add-ons customers can select to add into their boxes. According to Porter Road, demand is high right now, so orders are taking slightly longer than normal to ship out. 

Omaha Steaks, One Of The First Direct-To-Consumer Butchers, Is Encouraging Stock Ups

Omaha Steaks, founded in 1917, is probably the most widely known bulk meat delivery company, delivering steaks since 1953. With $500 million in revenues worldwide, the Nebraska-based company offers more than a dozen different steak cuts, pork products, chicken, seafood, wine and meal kits. Omaha Steaks has directly addressed consumer concerns about COVID-19 food safety and handling, shipping and availability.

The brand has had major sales in recent weeks, encouraging consumers to stock up, or alternatively, send care packages to friends or employees. Omaha Steaks also donated 7,000 lbs of meat to Dandelion Pop-Up, a charitable endeavor working right now to help families in Omaha suffering from food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic.

Wild Alaskan Company Offers Monthly Shares Of Their Sustainable Seafood

Wild Alaskan Company, which touts it’s sustainable, wild caught seafood, offers consumers monthly shares or memberships. The membership option can be amended to change delivery options and include a choice of wild salmon, halibut or cod. Founded by Arron Kallenberg, the son of a commercial fisherman, Wild Alaskan Company is committed to applying the most environmentally beneficial practices to its seafood sourcing, maintaining the best policies for Alaskan wildlife and Bristol Bay. Like other similar companies, Wild Alaskan Company is experiencing some shipping delays due to increased demand, but it remains committed to business as usual. “We have not changed our prices, nor do we have any intention to do so as a result of this tragedy. We want to be part of the solution. We believe our core value proposition is good in good times and even more important in uncertain times like these,” said Kallenberg.

Crowd Cow Specializes In Meat From Independent Farmers

The Wall Street Journal calls Crowd Cow the meat delivery service “for meat geeks.” Crowd Cow is focused on promoting sustainable, farm-to-table culture. The five-year old company wants consumers to know the breed they are eating, how it was raised and the farm it came from, ultimately letting customers pick the cuts they favor and choose the farm they’d prefer to order from. From Wagyu prime rib to pasture-raised turkey, Crowd Cow specializes in bespoke, high-end products via a number of formats including curated boxes and new subscription options. Crowd Cow’s eco-conscious brand model is popular with younger consumers and could be appealing to those people isolating during coronavirus who want to support businesses trying to be environmentally ethical.  

The benefit of bulk meat and seafood delivery options is that it allows consumers to stock-up during uncertain times, and if the quality is good and the business practices feel authentic, consumers can feel good about the purchases they are making. Bulk meat and seafood delivery brands can provide valuable services and, in doing so, can gain the trust of new customers that will ideally continue after this crisis is over.

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