As time goes on, habits change between different generations, and it is something the pork industry is learning in real-time. The National Pork Board points to millennials and Gen-Z, saying they do not eat as much pork, and it is why the group says data like that matters to U.S. pork farmers.
“Here is why it matters. The baby boomer generation has carried fresh pork for decades, and as we’re starting to see a generational shift into consumers who have the purchasing power and have the opportunity to buy more of our product, that is Gen Z’s and millennials. They don’t buy pork at the same rate, and they don’t buy it, nor do they use it in the same ways that the generations before them did. This is about understanding, again, who they are, where they are, and what matters to them. And what matters to them is things around taste and flavor, balance, and convenience. The use of an air fryer, which may sound so simple. Our research indicates today that there are more air fryers in homes in America than there are coffee makers. Making items that fit into an air fryer and fit into the lifestyle and the recipes that we use, those are just very simple but very important examples of how this information ties into the actual increase in both volume and value of U.S. pork,” said David Newman.
The Pork Board and growers alike realize change will not happen overnight. However, they realize there is a unique opportunity to expand the product and make it profitable after a couple years of steep losses.
