Institute Feature: Meat – Product Knowledge – Pork

From the different cuts of meat to the variety of ways to cook pork, customers may have questions for the associates in your meat departments. Clear answers can build customer loyalty by showcasing your associate's expertise. Be prepared to meet customer demands and feel confident in your department’s offerings by taking the Meat – Product Knowledge – Pork course at the Retail Learning Institute. 

Course description: Knowing all about products in your meat department helps build customers’ trust and creates a lasting impression. It is important to have the most up-to-date product knowledge when working in the meat department. Many customers come to the store already prepared with the product information they need, so it is important that you are well trained in order to answer their questions. In this course, we will talk about pork primal and subprimal cuts. You will be able to describe cooking methods or pork and the anatomy of meat cuts to customers. 

The course begins with the overall anatomy of pork, with clearly mapped areas and their corresponding cuts, both the five primal and the subsequent subprimal cuts. Then, the course breaks down different kinds of pork products that are frequently served in grocery stores, including fresh, cured, smoked, and processed. 

By explaining the key features of each primal cut, followed by a description of each subprimal cut, this course provides associates with background information about the products found within most meat cases. Descriptions like “inexpensive” and “lots of flavor” can help associates guide customers to the products they need.   

This course also includes a specific section for ham, one of the most popular products sold in the meat department. Within this section are descriptions of the many ham varieties that may be sold. Curing processes, including their components, are also explained, as are the different types of cured ham, from Black Forest to prosciutto. 

Help customers find the pork cuts that are best for their needs, from spare ribs to tenderloin, and find best cooking procedures for each, all in the Meat – Product Knowledge – Pork course at the Retail Learning Institute.