Understanding the Consumer
In an evolving marketplace, understanding consumer behavior is essential for driving pork demand. To address shifting preferences and habits, the National Pork Board (NPB) invested Pork Checkoff dollars into developing Consumer Connect, a data-driven tool designed to identify priority audiences and refine messaging to meet their unique needs. This extensive research initiative identified seven consumer segments based on motivations, attitudes, preferences and habits.
Out of the seven, four segments were identified as having the most immediate potential for growth:
Confident Meat Eaters
Simple Feeders
Culinary Adventurers
Mindful Choicemakers
Learn more about our consumer segments and take the quiz to see what kind of consumer you are.
Through tailored communication and focused marketing, the pork industry can address challenges like properly preparing pork in Millennial and Gen Z homes, concerns about food safety and shifting pork from a “special occasion” protein to an everyday option. Using the Consumer Connect tool to guide channel strategy, NPB has been building a bigger appetite for pork by positioning pork as a relevant, flavorful and versatile option to multiple audiences.
Positioning Pork in Strategic Channels
Reaching Confident Meat Eaters Where They Are
NPB is taking a digitally-driven approach to position pork where consumers are, such as targeting Confident Meat Eaters directly on social media. NPB’s owned channels, including the National Pork Board Facebook, Instagram and X accounts, are consumer-focused and share recipe and pork inspiration posts. Confident Meat Eaters are enthusiastic about pork and skilled at preparing it, making them an ideal audience for content that highlights the versatility and rich flavors of pork.
Additionally, NPB is extending its reach to new audiences by partnering with social media influencers. These collaborations allow NPB to connect with a wider audience, building trust and ensuring the message of pork’s versatility and flavor resonates across different consumer groups. Check out a recent Reel @maxthemeatguy shared to his 1.8 million followers on Instagram, showing a fun way to prepare pork.
Winning with Flavor: Reaching Chefs and Culinary Adventurers
NPB is strategically showcasing pork’s taste and versatility to culinary professionals by partnering with the American Culinary Federation (ACF), a professional organization representing over 14,000 chefs and culinary experts. This partnership highlights pork’s flavor and adaptability through targeted media opportunities directly connecting with chefs and Culinary Adventurers.
As part of NPB’s annual marketing program with the ACF, pork is featured in their monthly chef email blasts, bi-monthly National Culinary Review magazine and the Culinary Insider newsletter. These platforms provide chefs with inspiration, recipes and insights into how pork can enhance their menus, equipping them with the confidence to create new dishes with pork. This strategy amplifies pork’s presence in restaurants and culinary schools, ensuring it remains a centerpiece of flavorful and creative dining experiences.
Sharing Marketing Insights with the Pork Industry
To drive meaningful growth in pork demand, NPB is sharing marketing information and strategies that supply chain partners may choose to use in their own marketing plans. Because the information is based on the data collected from the Consumer Connect tool, both NPB and industry leaders will be able to focus on the consumer segments most important to increase pork sales.
A recent example of this collaboration took place in early October 2024 when NPB met with the Honey Baked Ham Company (HBH), a nationwide supplier of pork products. HBH’s sales and marketing team shared how they’ve been targeting consumers through campaigns such as their new slider program and advertising pork products throughout the tailgating season. Both of their targeted audiences align with two of NPB’s priority consumer segments, Confident Meat Eaters and Simple Feeders, who prioritize easy recipes and convenience. Collaborating with large industry suppliers such as HBH is just one example of how NBP is using producer investment to encourage marketing strategies that will target the right consumers to build a bigger appetite for pork.
Educating Health Professionals to Amplify Pork’s Nutritional Benefits
NPB is extending its reach to consumers by engaging with health professionals who influence dietary habits and food choices. A recent example of this effort took place in October when NPB’s nutrition team represented pork at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo® (FNCE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, this event drew over 6,100 registered dietitians, healthcare professionals and nutrition experts.
At FNCE, NPB staff connected with over 1,000 attendees through initiatives such as the Pork & Partner’s booth, panel discussions and pre-conference events. These interactions highlighted pork’s role as a nutrient-dense, versatile protein option, equipping health professionals with the knowledge to advocate for pork with their retail partners and clients. This outreach supports NPB’s segmentation strategy by addressing the needs of Mindful Choicemakers—consumers who prioritize balance and nutrition in their food choices. NPB is helping reach this segment and other consumers indirectly by educating health professionals about NPB’s research on pork nutrition.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Looking ahead, NPB’s focus will continue to position pork as a relevant and compelling choice for consumers. In 2025, NPB will launch a new consumer brand campaign based on Consumer Connect to strengthen pork’s position in the marketplace.
In the meantime, NPB will continue to emphasize the key drivers of pork demand: taste and flavor, nutrition and convenience. By tailoring messaging to the needs and values of each consumer segment—whether it’s Culinary Adventurers seeking inspiration or Mindful Choicemakers prioritizing nutrition—NPB will continue building a bigger appetite for pork.
For more information on the NPB’s recent market growth work, listen to David Newman, NPB’s SVP of market growth, on the Barn Talk podcast as he discusses the future of the Consumer Connect work, how we’re targeting multicultural audiences and plans for 2025.
