Millennials Drive a Meat Boom
Despite rising costs, U.S. millennials—responsible for 62% of the 500 million-package increase in meat sales in 2024—are fueling a major protein boom through home cooking, convenience, and a growing demand for transparency in food sourcing.
Welcome to the Golden Age of Ground Beef (and Friends)
In a plot twist nobody saw coming during the rise of oat milk and kale chips, America's meat aisles are thriving. Yes, despite inflation biting into wallets like a hungry Rottweiler, U.S. consumers are throwing caution (and tofu) to the wind and heading straight for the steak.
According to the 2024 Power of Meat study, the U.S. retail meat industry sold a whopping 500 million more packages of meat in 2024 than in 2023. That’s not a typo. And guess what? Millennials—those same folks who once flirted with plant-based everything—were responsible for 62% of that growth. So if you're wondering who's gobbling down all the ribeyes and rotisserie chickens, just check the nearest minivan.
Millennials: From Avocado Toast to Filet Mignon
For years, the meat industry was sweating bullets wondering if millennials would carry on the carnivorous legacy of their parents. After all, these were the kombucha-loving, Impossible Burger-eating rebels of the food world. But as it turns out, life stages change everything. Now many millennials have careers, mortgages, and tiny humans who eat more chicken nuggets than seems humanly possible.
This shift has put meat firmly back on the menu. With home-cooking on the rise due to high dining-out costs, many millennials are skipping the drive-thru and turning into their own family’s personal chefs—armed with Crock-Pots, air fryers, and an alarming number of Pinterest recipes.
Protein: The New American Idol
What’s fueling this meat madness? One word: protein. These days, it seems like every product in the grocery store is trying to flex its protein content like it's auditioning for a fitness magazine cover. But meat? It’s the OG protein source. Clean, complete, and—if you ask a millennial—“real.”
There’s also a growing desire for food with fewer ingredients and more transparency. While millennials are loading up on meat, they’re not doing it blindly. They want to know the story behind their steak. Was the cow happy? Did the chicken do yoga? Okay, maybe not yoga, but sustainable practices, humane treatment, and clear labeling really do matter to this generation.
Convenience + Consciousness = Carnivore Comeback
Between juggling work Zooms and soccer practice, millennials don’t just want meat—they want it easy. Think pre-marinated cuts, ready-to-cook options, and meal kits that practically cook themselves. But they also want to feel good about their choices. The animal welfare movement, environmental consciousness, and desire for producer transparency are playing a growing role in purchasing decisions.
Here’s the catch: if the meat industry doesn’t communicate clearly and honestly, millennials will fill in the blanks themselves—and not always in a flattering way. So no more jargon, no more “protein matrix optimizations” or “carcass yield efficiencies.” Just tell them how the animal lived, how the meat was sourced, and why they should trust you over that vegan meatball startup from Brooklyn.
Looks like it’s time to retire the myth that millennials are killing industries. Because in 2024, they didn’t just buy the meat. They brought home the whole cow.