             |
- Winter 2000 "Update" Newsletter Article -
Customer Favor rabbit taste, but not price
Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved.
The verdict is in: People are willing to eat the Easter Bunny – that is, rabbit meat in the form of cutlets and “Italian” style sausage. On the other hand, most who like the taste and texture of rabbit meat are not as enthused about its higher cost, and thus create a problem for anyone interested in the business of rabbit processing.
These are among the findings of animal sciences professor John A. Jacobs in a recent study of processing and sales of rabbit meat. The study involved processing about 300 rabbits in the Fresno State meats laboratory, conducting consumer taste and preference tests, and sales of the meat at the University Farm Market.
“We found that more people were willing to eat rabbit than we thought,” Jacobs said in reviewing project results. Projections had been that consumers would shy away from rabbit, because it is simply not a regular part of the American consumer’s diet, or perhaps even because of sentimental associations with cute bunnies.
Jacobs found that not to be the case in limited consumer taste tests. In one taste survey of more than 100 persons at a teacher’s convention, 90 percent responded affirmatively toward rabbit. Surveys at the farm market also showed a general positive response toward rabbit meat.
However, higher prices of rabbit compared to other meats hindered sales, Jacobs added. Average cost of processing for the study was $3.98 per pound, which is higher than the cost of production for most other meats. Price for Italian style sausage was set at $4.95 per pound. Price for boneless cutlets was $5.95 per pound, and “fryers,” packaged like a whole fryer chicken, were $3.95 per pound. Given the choice between rabbit other meat products such as beef and pork, consumers seemed to prefer the lower priced ones.
That doesn’t mean rabbit products could not be successful, Jacobs said. Even at $4.95 the Italian style rabbit sausage did sell, and consumers also purchased the fryer rabbits. But processing and marketing challenges definitely lie ahead.
In the area of processing, for example, although there are some rabbit processing facilities in the United States, they aren’t as far advanced in mass production techniques as chicken processors.
“Mechanized deboning would reduce the cost of rabbit production,” Jacobs said.
Also, a full marketing blitz for rabbit really hasn’t been tested. In addition to positive taste and texture characteristics, rabbit meat is lower in fat and higher in protein than other meats and poultry. Also, cholesterol values for rabbit products are as low or lower than any red meat or poultry product. These are qualities that could be promoted in a marketing campaign, Jacobs said.
Further tests will be up to another meats specialist, Jacobs said, since he is retiring after 19 years of service to the university. His study was funded by the American Rabbit Breeders Association Inc. and conducted through the Center for Food Science and Nutrition Research (CFSNR).
{ page top }
{ CATI , VERC , VERC - "Update" Newsletter , "Update" Newsletter }
Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved.
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE - CATI
College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
California State University, Fresno
