The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) has released its eighth edition of The Meat Buyer’s Guide. Formally the North American Meat Association (NAMA), NAMI’s new guide features revised names for all bone-in and boneless pork chops cut from the shoulder and loin. These names now align with the retail cuts available to consumers, presenting an opportunity for the foodservice industry.

The National Pork Board has championed the changing of the common names of pork chops cut from the shoulder and loin since 2011. The goal was two-fold: 1) create common names that better identified cuts using nomenclature that consumer were already familiar with from other species, and 2) standardize nomenclature in retail and foodservice. 

The Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards (URMIS) nomenclature was updated in 2013. This change is helping overcome the previous issue of “assorted pork chop” packages at retail and is providing more value and clarity for consumers.

With The New Meat Buyer’s Guide the foodservice industry, through the Institutional Meat Purchasers Specifications (IMPS), follows suit, as the guide includes the first complete simultaneous update of the IMPS in 18 years. The National Pork Board believes that the new names for pork chops in foodservice presents an opportunity for operators. 

Stephen Gerike, director of foodservice marketing for the National Pork Board, says, “the name change allows foodservice operations to differentiate pork chops on the menu in a way that consumers now recognize. Instead of just a pork chop, they can now menu a porterhouse chop, a ribeye chop, country-style ribs, and so on. Using this nomenclature provides diversity and perceived value to the menu, and therefore, is an easy update that will ultimately benefit the bottom line.”

The Meat Buyer’s Guide has been available since 1961 and is the premier resource for those in the foodservice industry who buy, sell, cut, cook, eat and enjoy meat. The National Pork Board has had a presence on The Meat Buyer’s Guide, Pork Section and Revisions committees for the past 10 years. 

Over the past two years, each page of the guide has been reviewed to consider the current cuts’ relevance and ultimately, inclusion in the most recent edition. Beyond the addition of the revised names for chops, many updates were made to reflect cuts currently growing in popularity in foodservice kitchens like whole heads, cheek meat, and various cuts of offal. 

The updated Meat Buyer’s Guide aligns with the trends and business needs of the current foodservice marketplace.

Menuing pork presents many opportunities for operators to grow their business and be profitable. For further information on the Meat Buyer’s Guide, the new nomenclature, pork cuts or to find out how pork can work harder on your menu, please contact that National Pork Board at 1-800-456- PORK or foodservice@pork.org. Valuable information can also be found at Porkfoodservice.org.