Power of Meat analysis marks 21st anniversary at Annual Meat Conference
OXON HILL, Md., March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Meat sales hit a new record high of $112 billion in 2025, with a volume increase (pounds sold) of 2% driven by Millennials and Gen Z according to the 21st annual Power of Meat report released today at the Annual Meat Conference by the Meat Institute and FMI—The Food Industry Association.
More than 98% of American households purchase meat (Circana), and 45% of shoppers are actively trying to prepare more meals containing meat or poultry. Of the five dinners shoppers prepare at home per week on average, 90% already contain a portion of meat and/or poultry.
Millennials and Gen Z shoppers accounted for 67% of unit growth (Circana), and they are more likely than other shoppers to be actively trying to prepare more meals containing meat or poultry (45% overall, Gen Z 50%, Millennials 57%). In 81% of households with children, kids have some level of influence on meat and poultry purchase decisions. Seventy-two percent of shoppers with teens at home say their teens request meat and poultry, far ahead of requests for protein bars, shakes and powders.
Younger generations also lead the way in using social media and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms for meal inspiration. Twenty-four percent of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers use AI tools, compared to 10% of Gen X and 4% of Boomers. Overall, 15% of shoppers use AI tools, a 650% increase over just two years ago.
Meat and poultry continue to feature positively in shoppers’ health and nutrition perceptions, with 77% of shoppers agreeing that meat and poultry are part of a healthy diet, up more than 20% since 2020. GLP-1 users over-index versus non-users for eating somewhat or a lot more meat than last year (161) and for frequently including meat and poultry in snacking occasions (171).
Rick Stein, Vice President of Fresh Foods for FMI commented:
“The meat department is outperforming because it delivers what shoppers want right now: protein, flexibility, value and taste. Retailers that balance convenient ground options with premium, indulgent cuts will be best positioned to capture both budget-conscious and experience-driven shoppers.”
Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts added:
“Americans are more focused on making smart food choices than ever before, and this latest Power of Meat report reinforces meat’s clear and irreplaceable role at the center of healthy, convenient, affordable meals today and for generations to come.”
The Power of Meat study was conducted by 210 Analytics on behalf of FMI—The Food Industry Association and the Meat Foundation and sponsored by CRYOVAC® Brand Food Packaging. Sales and purchase dynamics data are provided by Circana for the 52 weeks ending 12/28/25.
Media may contact FMI or Meat Institute representatives for a complimentary copy of the full Power of Meat 2026 report.
About the Meat Institute and the Meat Foundation:
The Meat Institute represents the full community of people and companies who make the majority of meat American families rely on every day. The Meat Institute’s hands-on regulatory and technical expertise, proactive advocacy, unique convening power, collaboration within and beyond animal agriculture, and sector-leading continuous improvement initiatives drive relationships and resources that ensure meat continues to be a vital, trusted pillar of healthy diets and thriving communities for generations to come.
The Meat Foundation is the Meat Institute’s research and scholarship arm, investing in critical areas such as food safety; nutrition, health and wellness; environment; animal welfare; and labor and human rights and supporting education and professional development in each of these areas, fostering the meat industry’s future leaders. To learn more, visit: MeatInstitute.org.
About FMI—The Food Industry Association: As the food industry association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain — from retailers that sell to consumers, to producers that supply food and other products, as well as the wide variety of companies providing critical services — to amplify the collective work of the industry. For more information, visit: www.FMI.org.
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SOURCE North American Meat Institute
