The last decade saw major changes in our patterns of life making it easier. We don’t stand in queues to book rail and air tickets any more, we don’t carry wads of cash in our wallets everywhere, we don’t walk in shops or service outlets to pay bills physically nor do we buy medicines, vegetables or groceries in crowded markets anymore. Similar changes have happened in our pattern of meat purchases as well. That too has had a major upgrade over time.
While standing inside an airconditioned, stench-free, orderly atmosphere of the neighbourhood Fipola outlet, after ordering a barracuda fillet, one cannot help but think about how things were different a few years back while shopping for meat and seafood. In butcher shops and fish stalls which we frequented earlier, we tried to reach as early as possible to avoid the crowd and had to outshout others for our orders to be heard. There was the general lack of hygiene, the buzz of flies, fly infested chopped body parts lying around, gory appearance and smelly interiors we had to deal with as well out there.
Life has indeed changed for the better with one stop shop meat retailers entering and taking over the market. Let us glance through some of the ways in which this has happened and a few reasons for the same:
Hygienic and aesthetic ambience: Ambience is one of the biggest plus points of the new age experience. To shop for food has to be a pleasant experience. Traditional shops and markets were flea and fly infested due to lack of hygiene. Then there was the stench, blood and body parts of butchered animals and birds lying about everywhere one looked. The wooden log in the corner with blood on it was not easy on the eye while shopping either. Now we have the comfort of shopping in air conditioned modern user-friendly spaces, with no stench or gore to look at and polite staff to handle our requests.
Hassle free cooking: When the meat or fish comes neatly packaged then cooking it is a much easier task. One doesn’t waste time in cleaning it nor does one have to seek help in doing the same. It is a much easier experience especially for the generation which is always running short of time. The fear of cleaning need not prevent anyone from trying out new recipes anymore. In a population which constitutes 70% non-vegetarians, with many of them exposed to global trends in shopping, the new age shops offer a whole gamut of possibilities. People are in a position to try new cuts of meat, different varieties of meat and try new recipes – both national and international -thanks to the ease of availability and time saved in procuring them.
Availability of ready to cook products: The range of options available to us has multiplied vastly. We are now not stuck with just the ‘with bone’ or ‘boneless’ options like yesteryears. We have within reach multiple kinds of marinated meats, marinades themselves in a wide range of flavours, imaginative and interesting cuts, spreads that come in handy when in a hurry or to add an extra zing to your meal and a wide range of frozen meat and cold cuts.
Higher quality standards and standardised products: When buying products from a trusted brand, one is assured of the quality control mechanism in place. We are no longer ‘winging it’ like we used to do. Retailers like Fipola have stringent quality checks at different stages and thanks to that, the customers get value for their money and have premium products at their disposal. Transportation and packaging are done at ideal temperatures made possible with optimal air-conditioning. Also, preservatives are not added and products are kept as natural as possible.
Advantages of packaged meat: It is now possible for us to do meat shopping too just once a week like we shop for vegetables or groceries; sometimes for even longer periods if they are frozen products. The vacuum sealed, leak proof, freezer friendly products have longer shelf life. This also helps with daily meal plans and makes cooking less cumbersome and makes us less affected by time and availability constraints.
Variety of products under one roof: It is no longer required to make multiple stops at various locations for various products we need. Modern shops like Fipola are one stop shops for all needs that people have and perhaps for even things they did not even realise they needed. The stress is hence taken out of shopping. Poultry products, sea food, red meat, frozen products, readymade spreads and marinades, ready to cook products all being available in one place is indeed a big help.
Convenience of online shopping and home delivery: This could be the biggest convenience we have available now. Be it day or night, lock down or parties, Netflixing with friends or cooking a meal for a favourite person, one can get at their doorstep whatever fancy product they want through online shopping. Going to a shop, making lists not to forget the things needed etc have all become passe now. We have wish lists, time slots for delivery, online shopping carts and prompts to buy something particular in case we forgot. Another subtle change that has happened with online shopping is that meat buying can now be done by the people cooking it. Earlier people who went out and bought were not the ones who cooked and hence there was a gap in what was required and what was brought home.
Recent times have seen many changes in the food consumption pattern of people. A need felt by many people to adopt a healthy lifestyle has brought focus on the importance of protein. Meats and seafood can be considered the easiest protein source. This provided an added impetus to retail and online players to stock up and cater to the rising demand.
The other big change we see is the emergence of nuclear families and people who live alone especially in cities. In joint families of yesteryears there was no shortage of people to work nor did they feel a lack of time. So, bringing home a full chicken and setting forth to do the laborious task of cleaning it and cooking it was not considered a hassle at all. Today, time is set at a premium and there is a certain readiness in people to spend a few extra rupees to save time and trouble.
As we saw, it is safety, hygiene, availability of various products under the same roof, convenience, door step service etc. that are some of the key factors that have propelled exclusive meat retailers to be the preferred choice of people in the last few years.
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