Marketplace · Tuesday, July 14, 2026
While beef demand surges, the pork industry is experiencing stable retail prices due to strong supply, including a record number of pigs per litter. However, demand is described as 'so-so,' with younger generations viewing pork more as an ingredient than a centerpiece, prompting industry marketing efforts.
“We hit a record high of 11.9 pigs per litter earlier this year. Supply is strong and pork demand is so-so.”
“That doesn't really spell huge profits for hog farmers, says Ken Foster with Purdue. It's not necessarily that they're losing money, but they're not making as much money as they could if pork prices were higher.”
“Boomers and exers grew up on big dinner plates with meat at the center, like a pork chop. But not so much millennials and Gen Z. The average 20-year-old approaches meat protein as an ingredient. Like ground beef taco bowls or grilled steak salads.”