Meat sales reached a record $112 billion in 2025, climbing 2 percent in pounds sold, according to Circana data highlighted in the 21st annual Power of Meat report released at the Annual Meat Conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
The report, presented by the Meat Institute and FMI, The Food Industry Association, shows that meat remains a staple in nearly every American home. More than 98 percent of U.S. households purchase meat, and 45 percent of shoppers say they are actively trying to prepare more meals containing meat. Of the five dinners consumers prepare at home each week on average, 90 percent already include meat, according to 210 Analytics.
Millennials and Generation Z shoppers are fueling much of the growth. Together, they accounted for 67 percent of unit growth in 2025. They are also more likely than other generations to say they are trying to prepare more meals with meat — 57 percent of Millennials and 50 percent of Generation Z shoppers say so.
In households with children, meat continues to be a major part of the conversation. In 81 percent of homes with kids, children influence meat purchase decisions. Seventy-two percent of shoppers with teenagers say their teens request meat, far outpacing requests for protein bars, shakes, or powders.