"Getting Pork on to the Consumer's Plate" was among the topics discussed during Friday's wrap-up session of the 40th annual Banff Pork Seminar.

Brad Smoliak, with Brad Smoliak Cooks, says consumers are very aware of pork, they know it's a Canadian product and they look for it but it just doesn't seem to be their number one choice when it comes to protein.

Brad Smoliak-Brad Smoliak Cooks

Personally I think you have two types of consumers.

You have consumers that come in and they know exactly what they want.

They are looking for a specific pork cut and or pork item or they're having pork that night, they feel like it.

Then you have the other ones that don't know exactly what they want.

I would say it's probably going to be about fourth choice out of beef, chicken, pork.

Beef, chicken are first.

Lamb can sometimes even be first, which is unfortunate.

They're looking for convenience and easy to cook most often.

I think taste is, in my opinion, number one.

You have to have a tasty product.

I don't care what you're making, what it is, it's got to be tasty, it's got to be easy to use.

Again remember there's a lot of comments and talk about price.

I'm going to dispel the thought and say that that is wrong.

It's not the price.

Price has no equal value.

Sometimes I need a convenient meal.

I'm willing to pay a little more for that out of my pocketbook but other times I don't want that.

Value has got to be the number one leader in that and it's not always directly related just to the final cost.

Mr Smoliak suggests, to capture the consumer's attention in the future processors will need to be providing products that are easy to use and he predicts we'll see more ready to cook and ready to eat products, and they need to re-think pack sizes.

He notes, it's often difficult to find packages of less than eight pork chops in the grocery store and to find specific cuts.

For more information visit bradsmoliakcooks.com.