As a leader within the largest chicken producer in the United States, Wendy Jean Bennett says it sometimes makes her want to cry when people don’t initially think of chicken when they think of protein.
Bennett, while speaking during the March 5 Brave Commerce podcast, wished chicken had top-of-the-mind awareness with all consumers as a source of protein, referring to it as the “O.G. (original gangster) of protein.”
“When we ask consumers what’s got protein in it, they go for protein bars and cereal as like No. 1 and 2. They don’t even mention the O.G.: Chicken,” said Bennett, Tyson Foods’ vice president of retail commerce leadership. “So let me just tell people, chicken (is) very lean and really good for you. They get to have a lot of that and get protein.”
But it isn’t just chicken that Bennett wants people to think of when they want protein. Tyson Foods is also a major pork producer, and she not only touted it as a source of protein, but also a protein that is healthy.
Pork is “so good for you and very low in calories,” she said, noting that there is an average of about 30 grams of protein in a pork chop.
“So, you can have that pork chop, or you can have a PowerBar. That’s up to you,” she said.
Despite the lack of knowledge about what type of foods are rich in protein, Bennett said consumers desire more protein and many food companies know that. As a result, many products have printed on the packaging how many grams of protein are in each serving. Consumers will look at such labels, often not keeping in mind that chicken and pork are such good sources of protein, she noted.
The Brave Commerce podcast is co-hosted by MikMak Founder and CEO Rachel Tipograph and Profitero President Sarah Hofstetter.
