By Kiersten Hafer, VP of Business Intelligence and Innovation, National Pork Board
The way consumers shop, order and eat continues to morph. They’re looking for high-protein, flexible and adventurous meals that deliver on taste, value and versatility all at once.
That shift creates a major opportunity for retailers, and pork is uniquely positioned to deliver.
The “Taste What Pork Can Do” consumer brand campaign was launched with a clear goal: build long-term demand for pork by making it more relevant to the next generation of consumers. Early reads across campaign metrics suggest we are on the right path.
Ground pork is winning with younger consumers
Millennials and Gen Z shoppers accounted for 67 percent of all unit growth in the meat case in 2025, making them one of the most important drivers of growth in grocery today. These shoppers are shaping not only what ends up in baskets, but also how products need to be merchandised, marketed and positioned in-store.
That’s where ground pork shines.
Ground pork aligns naturally with how younger consumers eat today. It’s easy to cook, and fits all cooking and confidence levels. It works across dayparts, cuisines and occasions. It can stretch a meal, elevate flavor and simplify dish preparation — all while delivering on protein, value and variety — making it an ingredient consumers intentionally seek out.
That matters because younger shoppers are looking for complete dishes, not for rigid “center-of-the-plate” meal solutions. They’re looking for dishes where pork becomes part of the eating experience, not just the protein.
In fact, Gen Z shoppers are spending more dollars per trip on ground pork than any other consumer segment, while both millennials and Gen Z are purchasing ground pork more frequently than previous generations.²
At the same time, ground pork volume continues to outpace fresh and total pork growth, with buying households now surpassing 14 percent penetration and 90 percent lean ground pork delivering double-digit growth.³,⁴
This isn’t a short-term trend. It’s a signal that younger consumers are redefining how pork fits into everyday eating.
What retailers need to know
As we’ve partnered with retailers through the “Taste What Pork Can Do” campaign, a few strategies consistently stand out.
Lead with dishes, not the cut
Consumers connect with the dish before they connect with the cut.
For years, fresh meat marketing focused heavily on raw product imagery and traditional preparation methods. But younger shoppers respond differently.
Finished dish photography and video content are outperforming static raw-cut imagery because they tap into craving, inspiration and ease. Consumers are far more likely to engage with a flavorful bowl of pork ramen or street-style tacos than a package of raw ground meat alone.
That’s especially true for millennial and Gen Z shoppers, who over-index on social and video-driven food discovery.
Retailers that cross-merchandise ground pork with dish ingredients — especially globally inspired dishes — have an opportunity to increase relevance and purchase intent among younger consumers, becoming the one-stop shop for all of a dish’s ingredients.
Ground pork is incremental, not competitive
One of the biggest misconceptions in the meatcase is that adding another grind shifts dollars from one protein to another.
However, households that purchase multiple ground proteins spend more on grinds overall than households purchasing ground beef alone.³ In other words, ground pork is not stealing share from ground beef — it’s expanding the basket.
That creates a meaningful incremental growth opportunity for retailers.
Ground pork gives shoppers permission to try something different while still staying within familiar meal formats. Additional lean points and SKU variety also help retailers meet growing consumer demand for both affordability and customization.
Health and protein are reshaping purchase decisions
Consumers are prioritizing protein more than ever, but health is broader than calorie counts. Consumers are using pork as part of their fitness routines and turning to protein as they work to change their eating habits while using GLP-1 medications.
As a result, shoppers are increasingly looking for foods that support satiety, nutrient density and overall wellness.
This is another area where ground pork has room to grow.
Lean ground pork options are seeing strong momentum, especially when clearly labeled and easy to shop for.⁵ Retailers also have an opportunity to support these consumers beyond the shelf through meal inspiration, dietitian partnerships and merchandising that highlights pork’s role in balanced, protein-forward eating.
Purchases require more than shelf space
Winning today requires more than offering pork products on shelves. Rather, retailers must help consumers envision how pork fits into their lifestyles.
That’s exactly what the “Taste What Pork Can Do” campaign was designed to do.
Through the campaign, retailers have access to customizable assets that spotlight pork’s flavor, versatility and value through modern, consumer-relevant storytelling. From culturally inspired meal ideas to digital creative and video content, the campaign is helping retailers connect with younger shoppers in more meaningful ways.
Three years ago, NPB set a goal to grow ground pork sales into a $300 million business by 2029. Ground pork sales have continued to grow steadily, but retailers still have an opportunity to capture their share of an estimated $80 million in incremental sales.
The retailers who win will be the ones who recognize what younger consumers are telling us clearly through their behavior:
They want flavor.
They want flexibility.
They want meals that feel exciting, approachable and worth repeating. And increasingly, pork is delivering exactly that.
To learn more about the “Taste What Pork Can Do” campaign and access retailer-ready assets, click here.
Footnotes
- Circana purchase dynamics, FMI Power of Meat 2026, latest 52 weeks ending 12/28/2025
- Numerator, latest 52 weeks ending 1/11/2025
- Circana Total US MULO+
- Circana Total US MULO+, latest 52 weeks ending 12/28/2025
“Taste What Pork Can Do” is a registered trademark of the National Pork Board.
