How Chorizo Compares to Other Packaged Meats

With inflation still driving up the cost of goods, it’s more important than ever to understand how price points impact purchasing behavior.

In the meat industry as a whole, prices start to fall after Labor Day, when summer — and with it — grilling season ends. This is especially true for pork-based products like chorizo. In fact, chorizo prices will be at their highest during the final week of August, as everyone prepares for those end of summer barbecues.

On average, though, pork products can run anywhere from as low as $0.75 to $1.50 per pound depending on processing, ingredients, and other factors. At El Popular, because we use the highest quality processing and ingredients, chorizo can average out around $3.25 per pound.

This leads us to the next factor that impacts not only pricing but buying behavior: ingredients.

Ingredients are important to many consumers, especially those who are particularly health conscious, so it is not surprising that the people who are buying chorizo, especially within the hispanic community itself, tend to be very aware of what they are eating before they purchase.

What many people don’t realize about chorizo, and other frozen packaged meats, is that there are many “unknowns” within the ingredients list. A lot of processing goes into producing the meat itself, and some of the more well-known brands include things like glands in their meats.

If consumers are not reading the ingredients labels, they might miss something like that. As a broker, you have the ability to ensure that the highest-quality meats end up on grocery store shelves. At El Popular, we do not allow the glands to be included in the final processed meat, which makes all the difference in terms of quality, taste, and consistency.

Ingredient transparency is becoming increasingly important to customers, which means distributors and brokers need to be mindful of what they’re purchasing as well.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, shipping and lead times have increased exponentially across nearly every industry. 

No one wants to place an order and have it arrive late, or not at all. You need to know you’re working with a manufacturer that can fill, complete, and ship your order within the timeline discussed. 

In particular, manufacturers are having a hard time with packaging — a shortage of packaging, raw materials, and physical help is causing a big delay in getting products out the door. 

Some frozen packaged meats can take up to six months of lead time after an order is placed if the manufacturer is not being vigilant and thinking ahead. 

At El Popular, we can often have orders prepared and ready to go within 5-7 working days. This is in part due to our relationship with DOT Foods, a master distributor, with whom we’ve rank in the 98% for on-time deliveries.

When consumers are thinking about what to make for dinner, a lot of times they are looking for convenience. Families need things that they can make quickly: after work or while taking care of kids. There is a much higher chance that those items will end up on a grocery list if they check those boxes. 

What does this mean for chorizo?

Well, while chorizo may not be the easiest or most convenient item to prepare (each tube is packaged within itself, with two links per package that need to be cut), there are lots of ways to prepare it that make it family-friendly. 

The product itself is designed to fall apart into pieces, often even smaller than ground beef — this is because chorizo has vinegar in it, allowing it to break up easily and add flavor to any other ingredients, making it good for cooking with other things, like tacos, eggs, and more. 

However, the future of more convenient chorizo is coming. El Popular is currently working with scientists to determine a way to put chorizo into a pouch that allows it to be cooked through a sou vide method. An additional upside to this method of preparation is that it has 100% yield, meaning nothing is lost in the cooking process, and all spices are saved.