360 Degrees of Meat Trends

By: Laurie Gethin, Director of Education, Food Marketing Institute

The meat industry is a unique one. No other industry sees such a variety of folks invested in the two to three years it takes to bring a meat product from farm to fork.  From ranchers to packagers, buyers to meat managers, all are invested in the outcome—the best quality, most flavorful, and greatest variety of meat for consumers to enjoy.

At the same time, the industry is facing some unique pressures including increasing consumer focus on health and wellness, fresh prepared foods and a desire for more information about their food. To arm meat industry professionals with a 360 degree view of current meat trends, FMI and the North American Meat Institute host the industry for the Annual Meat Conference held this year in Nashville, Tennessee at the Gaylord Opryland, from February 21-23. As we set the stage to showcase the latest meat trends, here are some highlights of what meat industry professionals can expect:

The Rising Action: Exhibit Hall

Perhaps the main highlight of the Meat Conference is the exhibit hall, where smell and taste take center stage as attendees explore the latest meat delicacies over five hours. More than 70 exhibitors will bring innovative technology solutions and the latest meat products to the floor. See what people enjoy on social media with #MeatConference.

The Turning Point: Key Education

General Sessions target the big trends facing the meat industry including:

• Globally-recognized gre
  en expert Andrew Winston on a new vision for green business;
• Datassential’s Jack Li on consumer trends driving meat innovation;
• IRi on how millennial consumers are purchasing and consuming meat products; and
• NPR’s Washington editor, Ron Elving, on the 2016 election.

Attendees can also attend focused and practical workshops designed for every player in the retail meat industry. From antibiotics to e-commerce, flavor trends to GMOs, we’ve got you covered.

The Finale: Takeaways

It’s the experiences that keep you thinking after the event that are the most valuable. So to make the latest meat trends stick, attendees can dive deeper with these sessions:

• Expert economists cast an outlook for the meat and poultry market as it relates to weather, animal health and changing export markets;
• A regulatory update provides attendees the latest on far-reaching effects of new government policies and regulations;
• The State of the Meat Eater session gives a profile of the meat consumer by household, gender, and generation; and
• Our ever-popular, #1 rated session on the Power of Meat gives an in-depth look at meat through the shopper’s eyes (pre-trip, in-store, and at home), and attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the research report.

Get the trends that impress you the most—join us in Nashville from February 21-23 for the Annual Meat Conference and be a part of the conversation on Twitter with #MeatConference.