It was the year Culture Club topped the charts, Channel 4 first went on air, Mark Thatcher disappeared in the Sahara desert. The Young Ones shocked TV audiences, England and Scotland were both in the World Cup and ET phoned home. 1982. Slightly less heralded, it was also the year that Steakhouse grills and burgers first hit Britain’s freezer cabinets and dining tables.
Thirty years on, Manchester fast foods producer Glendale still lists Steakhouse uncooked beef grills and burgers in its product range and they have become staple purchases for independent grocers and their customers. So much so that some retailers still insist on buying them in the original pack design, since customers immediately recognise these frozen products as simple, wholesome and convenient fare.
Introduced in 1982, Steakhouse grillsteaks and burgers were intended for households on a budget, providing the centrepiece for an inexpensive family meal or for feeding hungry kids and homecoming workers. McDonald’s had only opened in Britain eight years earlier, so fast food was just becoming fashionable and the Western-influenced Steakhouse name proved popular and has remained consistently so over three decades.
Much later, the products were repackaged and rebranded as part of Glendale’s best-selling Yankee range, highlighting the Steakhouse name just as similar lines were being withdrawn from the independent retail sector. Long a champion of the local convenience store, Glendale’s price-marked the packs to give independent stockists a competitive impulse line that appeals to customers making top-up purchases. At £1.79 for 4 Steakhouse Beefburgers or 6 Steakhouse Grillsteaks, they still represent excellent value for money and can be grilled or shallow fried from frozen in 10-12 minutes, for a hearty snack.
“These are good uncomplicated products made from wholesome ingredients, which have been consistent family favourites,” says Glendale Chairman, John Mortimer, who first introduced the line.
Since independent stockists often have relatively limited freezer space, the Yankee Steakhouse products are presented as 6 packs to the trade outer, minimising the retailer’s stockholding commitment, whilst enabling the inclusion of two strong impulse lines.
The continuing credit crunch has seen a marked renaissance for frozen foods, particularly meat and savoury products. So Glendale’s long-standing Steakhouse favourites, first introduced during the early 80’s recession, offer guaranteed consumer appeal and great value, at a time when hard-pressed customers are again seeking to save money.
“Recent reports suggest that families are focused on obtaining value for money during this double-dip recession, so they’re switching to frozen products to cut costs and minimise wastage,” concludes John Mortimer. “It seems that after thirty years as budget favourites, our Steakhouse products are still meeting the needs of busy British households, because they are convenient, economical, nutritious and tasty.”
Yankee Steakhouse products are now available from frozen food distributors, cash & carry outlets or direct from Glendale Foods.
Glendale Foods
Tel: 0161 743 4100
Email info@glendalefoods.com
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