Source: MeatPoultry
Poultry is growing fast—but what does it take to scale production, maintain quality, and stay profitable?
The meat department is not slowing down, it’s evolving. As it does, consumers are recalibrating their protein choices.
Total U.S. meat sales reached a record high $112 billion in 2025, rising 6.8% year over year, with nearly all households continuing to purchase meat and poultry.
But it’s not demand. It’s behavior.
Faced with ongoing financial pressure, shoppers are balancing value, quality, and convenience rather than stepping away from the category. Nearly two-thirds still consider meat and poultry essential, even as they adjust pack sizes, product mix, and purchase frequency.
That shift is creating a retail environment where value and premium must coexist.
For processors and retailers, the challenge is delivering both - affordable enough for everyday meals, yet consistent and appealing enough to meet quality expectations.
Unlike past years, in 2026, it’s not beef driving the herd.
Increasingly, poultry is emerging as the protein that can do both.
Why are more shoppers choosing poultry over beef?
Poultry’s rise is not happening in a vacuum. It is being driven by a widening price gap that is reshaping how consumers approach protein purchases.
Beef prices are projected to rise more than 10% in 2026, following a year in which cattle prices increased 22.5% and wholesale beef rose 12%. By comparison, chicken prices have remained relatively stable, increasing just 0.4%.
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