Posted April 8, 2013

Consumers will soon find more consumer-friendly names on packages of fresh pork cuts in retail meat cases across the country.

The new names, such as the porterhouse pork chop, are designed to allow retailers to differentiate and merchandise pork cuts more effectively while aiding shoppers in selecting and preparing pork.

“The new names will help change the way consumers and retailers talk about pork,” said National Pork Board President Conley Nelson, an Algona pork production executive and farmer. “But more importantly, the simpler names will help clear up confusion that consumers currently experience at the meat case, helping to move more pork in the long term.”

New cut names backed by research
Before the renaming process took shape, the National Pork Board and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association collaborated on in-depth research over an 18-month period. The research showed consumers are often confused by the different names for similar cuts of meat and, as a result, do not know how to cook a variety of cuts now available in the meat case.

To overcome this challenge, the National Pork Board is working to simplify pork cut names and include basic usage and preparation information on the package. Several cuts of pork will now match the names for similar beef cuts for easier consumer identification and preparation. New pork names to look for in the meat case include:

• Pork Porterhouse Chop (previously a loin chop)
• Pork Ribeye Chop, bone-in (previously a rib chop center)
• Pork Ribeye Chop (previously a rib chop)
• Pork New York Chop (previously a top loin chop)

The new cut names will eventually align with the food service industry as well to provide a consistent consumer perception of pork at restaurants and at home.

“Grill pork like a steak”
Hand-in-hand with a simpler shopping experience comes simpler grilling advice. As the new cut names suggest by their alignment with popular beef steak names, pork is a great choice for the grill – and consumers can cook pork chops just like their favorite steaks.

“Research shows that consumers are buying cuts they are familiar with,” said Patrick Fleming, director of retail marketing for the National Pork Board. “Now, once they get their New York chop or ribeye chop home, they can grill it in the way they’re familiar with, too.”