The National Pork Board has named Kent Harrison assistant VP of channel marketing, adding a veteran of Trident Seafoods and Tyson Foods to the team that works with processors, distributors, foodservice operators and retailers to build long-term pork demand.
Harrison brings more than 30 years of meat industry and food manufacturing experience. He joins the Des Moines, Iowa-based checkoff organization from Trident Seafoods, where he served as SVP of U.S. value-added, leading a business unit responsible for $815 million in sales. He previously served as VP of marketing and premium programs at Tyson Foods, where he worked on the transformation of Tyson Fresh Meats into a premium, value-added business, and founded Pro Max Consulting, advising clients on growth and new market opportunities.
“Our market growth team is focused on understanding their businesses, identifying where pork can win and bringing the right expertise and resources together to turn those opportunities into incremental value and volume,” said José de Jesús, VP of market growth at NPB. “Kent’s deep commercial experience strengthens our team and how we build partnerships that create growth across the supply chain on behalf of pork producers.”
Harrison’s channel marketing team will work in tandem with the business intelligence team led by Kiersten Hafer, which analyzes trends and consumer behavior for supply chain partners.
“Protein-rich pork has an opportunity to claim its place with younger consumers,” Harrison said. “Pork represents an ownable position of flavor and versatility that we can maximize through collaborating on category growth across the entire supply chain.”
Harrison’s hire adds to NPB’s recent efforts to build retail sales, which include the digital-first “Taste What Pork Can Do” campaign, which gives channel partners consumer-facing assets highlighting pork’s versatility and more than 110 unique flavor nuances identified in checkoff-funded sensory research, and a Red Oval Partnership with IGA launched earlier this year to drive pork category growth at independent grocers. State pork associations also work with local and regional retail and foodservice chains on digital and in-store promotions.
Through the Pork Checkoff, established in 1986, pork producers invest 35 cents for each $100 value of hogs sold, funding national and state programs in consumer education, retail and foodservice marketing, export promotion, research and sustainability.
Related: IGA, National Pork Board Partner To Drive Pork Category Growth At Retail