Focus on Fresh: Meat & Seafood
By Kent Harrison, Assistant Vice President of Channel Marketing, National Pork Board
Protein is increasingly shaping what shoppers choose and how they build meals, creating new opportunities in the meatcase. Analysis by the National Pork Board identified approximately $80 million in incremental ground pork sales potential tied to gaps in lean points, package sizes and product formats.
For retailers, capturing a share of that opportunity may not require a broad product overhaul. The Pork Checkoff’s new “Pork’s Protein Payoff” video introduces the Just Add Two opportunity, a focused approach that uses shopper and assortment data to identify one ground pork item and one pork cut that fit the current offering.
The retail opportunity behind protein-focused shopping
What shoppers are buying points to a broader retail opportunity. Households that buy both ground pork and ground beef average a $115.51 basket, compared with $106.65 among ground-beef-only households, while also making more frequent trips and delivering greater annual value.
Several shopper and sales trends reinforce that opportunity:
- Ground pork dollar sales are up 8.1% year to date, while volume is up 7%.
- Gen Z consumers spend nearly 25% more annually on ground pork than the average shopper.
- Consumers using GLP-1 medications spend approximately 15% more annually on pork than consumers who have never used GLP-1 medications.
Together, these signals reinforce the role protein plays in purchase decisions and the value pork brings to the cart. The question is how retailers can act on those signals in ways that fit their stores and shoppers.
How pork can support retail sales growth
Pork is well-positioned to meet the needs of protein-focused shoppers because it provides complete protein along with the flavor and versatility consumers expect.
Ground pork offers retailers a clear starting point. Depending on what shoppers are buying, gaps may exist in lean points, package sizes and product formats.
A 93% lean ground pork option is one example. It was the fastest-growing labeled lean-ratio item, with volume up 25% over the latest 52 weeks. For another retailer, the stronger fit could be a different pack size, format or ground pork option based on shopper behavior.
How retailers can build on their pork assortment
The strategy is not about adding SKUs for the sake of adding more. Instead, retailers can look at shopper behavior and their current offering, then consider two targeted additions that address what may be missing:
- One more ground pork item: Depending on the current set, that could mean a different lean point, package size, source grind, product format or ready-to-cook option.
- One more pork cut: That could be a pork blade steak, coppa, pluma or another cut that aligns with shopper preferences, pricing strategy and available supply.
Specific choices will vary from one retailer to another. Ground pork can offer an accessible entry point into the category, while another cut gives shoppers new ways to experience pork. Retailers can use what they know about their shoppers and current product mix to determine where those two additions fit.
See the pork retail strategy in action
For a closer look at the shopper and sales data behind the two-addition approach, watch the full “Pork’s Protein Payoff” video from the Pork Checkoff and see how retailers can apply it to their own assortment.
