Technomic’s 2015 Center of the Plate: Beef & Pork Consumer Trend Report shows a significant demand for pork and beef products, with the majority of consumers eat beef and pork either as an entree, entree topping or ingredient at least once a week. Right now beef is still more in demand, consumed weekly by 85% of consumers, while 69% have pork every week. In addition, 42% of consumers want restaurants to offer a wider variety of beef entrees compared to 33% for pork.
But with pig herds growing and pork production poised to overcome beef production for the first time in decades, demand for pork might grow even further. In addition, 21% of consumers are ordering beef less often when they eat out due to rising prices, and some major food companies are already reporting falling pork prices, reported Bloomberg.
Pork production is expected to hit 23.9 billion-lbs. this year, rising above beef’s projection of 23.8 billion-lbs., according to Food Institute analysis of USDA data. For more information on where beef and pork are heading this year, check out the Feb. 9 issue of Food Institute Report, page 1.