By Scout Nelson
According to the 2025 Power of Meat Report, the U.S. meat industry hit a new milestone in 2024, reaching a historic sales high of $104.6 billion. This marks a 5% increase in value from 2023, showing robust consumer interest in meat products. Notably, volume also rose by 2.3%, bringing total meat purchases to 22.8 billion pounds.
Beef led the growth among all meat types, with ground beef standing out as the top contributor to absolute dollar growth among 85,000 store categories. This made ground beef the leading product in both popularity and profitability in the meat sector.
The report also revealed that American consumers bought meat more than once per week, spending an average of $16.12 per trip. This frequent purchasing pattern secured meat’s position as the top-performing fresh category in grocery stores across the country.
Within refrigerated meats, the top three consumer choices were beef, chicken and pork. For prepared meats, lunchmeat, bacon and sausage took the lead. These trends reflect consumer preferences for both fresh and ready-to-eat options.
Shoppers focused on meals that were comforting, quick to prepare, and creative in the use of ingredients. On average, Americans cooked 4.8 dinners at home each week, and 90% of these meals included meat. This high inclusion rate shows how central meat remains in American diets.
The report attributed the surge in meat sales to strategic behaviors such as meal planning, bulk purchases and frequent shopping trips. These habits reflect a blend of convenience and tradition in today’s consumer choices.
The continued rise in both sales and volume suggests strong prospects for the U.S. meat industry, especially with beef remaining at the forefront of consumer demand.
Photo Credit:kansas-livestock-foundation
Categories: Kansas, Livestock, Beef Cattle