October 28, 2004

Sales for Red Meat Up in the US
 

Sales for red meat in the US are predicted to top $44 billion this year, up 18 percent in just three years and nearly 40 percent since 1999, according to a report from research firm Mintel, which tracks consumer trends.

After a growth slowdown after 2000, the appetite for red meat surged again last year - unquestionably spurred on by low-carb eating and the rush to try out diets like Atkins.

Beef showed the biggest jump in recent years, with sales up nearly 20 percent since 2002. Pork sales also rose over 13 percent; lamb was up more than 7 percent. One in five people said low-carb diets spurred their meat and fish intake.

The average American consumed just under 65 pounds of beef in 2003, although the US Department of Agriculture expects that to climb slightly this year and next. Despite nearly nine in 10 Americans say they eat beef, consumption is well off a peak of 90 pounds or more annually in the 1970s.

Pork consumption remains near 50 pounds per capita, while lamb has dropped steadily since the 1960s to about 1.1 pounds per capita.

Worries about red meat's fat content seem to have been brushed aside. In recent years, the beef industry has waged a campaign to highlight its relative benefits compared to fish and chicken. Though three-quarters of Americans believe red meat to be less healthy than fish or poultry, the report noted, it has not dented sales.