Toronto – March 30, 2021 – As the 2020 numbers for meat sales come into focus we get a better understanding of beef’s enduring value to the North American consumer.

According to the Food Industry Association The Power of Meat 2021 report, pandemic spending has shot meat sales up $82.5 billion in 2020 – a full 19% increase over one year. Beef was the strongest performer of all meat categories holding the highest share of sales at $5.8 billion.

Though meat sales remain strong, when surveyed consumers continue to demand locally sourced, sustainable and hormone-free products.

The report also notes the continuing trend towards plant-based products with traditional meat manufacturers opening new corporate divisions to serve the half billion-dollar market. Sales are also up 84% in 2020 for plant-based products but remain a niche market with just 10% of household consumption.

Case-ready meat products in addition to meal-preparation and meal solutions are highly sought out by today’s consumer. As many stay home to stay safe, new meal ideas to keep things fresh and exciting over dinner time has been one of the few joys over this pandemic season.

As trends ebb and flow you can count on Industry Snapshots to make sense of it all.