Young consumers perceive pork a bit differently

05/15/25 • 18 min

Taste is taking center stage as the National Pork Board unveils a bold new strategy to transform how consumers—especially younger generations—think about pork. Sarah Showalter and Neal Hull reveal how deep consumer insights are reshaping the future of pork marketing in America.
At the heart of this transformation is a surprising disconnect: millennials and Gen Z consumers who claim they "don't eat pork" while enthusiastically consuming bacon, ribs, pepperoni, and sausage. This revelation has sparked a strategic pivot from positioning pork as merely a center-of-plate protein to showcasing it as a versatile ingredient in culturally-inspired recipes that younger consumers already love—like potstickers, tonkatsu, stir-fries, and carnitas.
The new "Taste What Pork Can Do" campaign leverages fascinating consumer trends, including the explosion of air fryers (now more common in American homes than coffee makers) and growing interest in smokers and grilling. By targeting specific consumer segments—from "confident meat eaters" who love grilling to "culinary adventurers" seeking new flavors—the Pork Board is meeting consumers where they are while highlighting pork's unmatched versatility. The campaign represents a long-term commitment to making pork relevant for future generations, embracing a "whole hog" approach that celebrates both fresh cuts and processed products while honoring pork's cultural significance across diverse communities.
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NIOSH cuts stand to put agricultural worker safety at risk

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For more information on UMASH, visit: https://umash.umn.edu/about-the-center/

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Feedstuffs in Focus - Young consumers perceive pork a bit differently

Transcript

Sarah Muirhead00:00:07.709

Consumer preferences are evolving and the pork industry must evolve with them . That means taking risks and creating a long-term strategy , reinforcing why pork deserves a place on every plate . Millennial and Gen Z consumers are a focus of the National Pork Board and research has shown they view pork differently than generations before . Welcome to Feedstuffs in Focus , our podcast