Food for Thought…Do you geek out over beef demand and consumer research? Me too, and I’ve got great news to share.
The recent Power of Meat study (Ann-Marie Roerink, 210 Analytics) has positive insights on consumer shopping habits. Fresh meat took the top spot in 2024, with beef leading the way. Beef purchases hit a whopping $40 billion, showing a 9.7% increase in spending and 4.5% more pounds sold.
Consumers averaged 54 purchases from the meat department last year. The “who” is also shifting. Millennials (ages 28-43) contributed the most to the additional units sold in 2024 vs. 2023. Younger generations, including Millennials and Gen Z, are all about protein, loading their plates with more beef and other meats. And guess what food item had the best sales growth? Ground beef outpaced strawberries, raking in $15.3 billion compared to $12 billion for strawberries.
And if you’re worried about protein alternatives taking over, brush those aside. Her research confirmed 98% of households buy real meat.
Lindsey Graber Runft, Cattleman Connection
