Consumer behavior has undergone major shifts over the past few years due to COVID-19 global pandemic. In turn, chicken producers have had to “pivot and start thinking differently about how they address the consumer’s needs,” explained Brian Earnest, lead economist, animal protein, CoBank.
Industry flexibility will continue to be necessary to keep chicken as the protein at the center of the plate, he said at the 2024 Chicken Marketing Summit.
Consumers are getting older, female and more diverse
The U.S. is set to see several changes in demographics in the coming years, Earnest said.
First, the average consumer is getting older. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age of the U.S. population was 39 years old in 2023, compared to 30 in 1980.
“We’re going to continue to see an older consumer. Be thinking about that. Be conscious of that, of who that is and what they’re buying, as well as the size of their household,” he noted.
The future U.S. population will skew female over male and become increasingly ethnically diverse, the agency reported.
These demographic changes likely mean more interest in portions that are convenient for small households, as well as a move toward dark meat over white meat and global flavors.
Near-term positives for chicken
The chicken industry is poised for success in the near-term, Earnest added.
A low-cost feed environment benefits the industry, although it continues to deal with high capital costs and increasing interest rates.
A subdued red meat industry also boosts chicken demand, as well as the fact that inflation-weary consumers are on the lookout for value offerings.
“From a chicken standpoint, consumers are looking for innovations and the marketers in the chicken area have served well to produce that innovation,” Earnest said. “So keep that up.”
Attend the 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit
The 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit will be held at the DeSoto Savannah in Savannah, Georgia, on July 28-30, 2025.
Serving a unique cross-section of the chicken supply chain, the Chicken Marketing Summit explores issues and trends in food marketing and consumer chicken consumption patterns and purchasing behavior.
Registration will open in early 2025.
For more information, visit: www.wattglobalmedia.com/chickenmarketingsummit/
