With the focus on cooking pork to its ideal 145°F temperature, the stage is set for you to encourage your customers to use thermometers to create perfectly-cooked, medium-rare pork.

 

A number of options can help home cooks create great pork eating experiences:

 

Instant Read Thermometer – indicates the internal temperature of meat with a digital or analog reading. These easy-to-use thermometers are a great choice to merchandise at the meat case, to remind customers that the best way to get tender, juicy pork is to cook it to 145°F, followed by a 3- minute rest time.

 

Cooking Sensor - indicates meat’s optimum doneness level by displaying a vivid color change. Sensors can be added to pork packages during processing or in-store.

 

Pop-Up Thermometer – pops up when meat reaches its ideal internal temperature. Pop-up thermometers can be inserted in-store by meat department staff.

 

Increased thermometer use among pork consumers as a result of the 145°F messaging could lead to a jump in fresh pork sales, as consumers discover the delicious benefits of medium-rare pork. According to Ken Bragg, Regional Sales Manager at Volk Enterprises, maker of the Cook’d Right™ Sensor and Pop Up® Disposable Thermometer, “The new 145°F guidelines will really affect our marketing plan, because consumers are already switching to the new lower temperature. We know from experience that once customers start eating pork cooked to 145°F, they will begin purchasing more pork because they’ve had a better eating experience.”

 

Retailers using Volk’s thermometers and doneness sensors have reported a 7% - 25% increase in pound sales at the meat case sales.

 

Volk is currently marketing a new Cook’d Right™ Sensor that retailers can customize with their logo. The new customizable sensors give retailers the chance to get their store name in front of customers and add value to fresh pork purchases.

 

Make it easy for consumers to create tender, juicy pork cooked to medium-rare perfection, by merchandising with thermometers or including sensors or pop-ups in pork roast packages. As your customers enjoy perfectly-prepared pork, you just might enjoy a nice increase in your bottom line.