United States Processed Meat Market Size and Share

United States Processed Meat Market Summary
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United States Processed Meat Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The United States processed meat market is valued at USD 10.70 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 12.10 billion by 2030, advancing at a 3.25% CAGR; this establishes the current processed meat market size and the growth momentum that stakeholders can expect through the period. Moderation in expansion reflects a maturing demand curve where incremental gains now arise from product innovation, automation, and tighter supply-chain orchestration rather than volume increases alone. Pork maintains a dominant 47.28% United States processed meat market share by volume in 2024, demonstrating the staying power of traditional favorites even as premiumization trends gather pace. Beef is the fastest-rising category, moving at a 4.88% CAGR, supported by higher-margin value-added cuts and branding initiatives that stress provenance and animal-welfare credentials. Distribution patterns further underscore transformation: on-trade venues still absorb most throughput, yet off-trade outlets—especially e-commerce—record the quickest 5.11% CAGR, indicating a structural tilt toward at-home consumption convenience.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By meat type, pork held 47.28% of the United States processed meat market share in 2024, whereas beef recorded the highest 4.88% CAGR through 2030.
  • By distribution channel, on-trade dominated with 55.78% revenue share in 2024, while off-trade is projected to expand at 5.11% CAGR to 2030.

Segment Analysis

By Meat Type: Pork Dominance Drives Innovation

In 2024, pork holds a leading 47.28% market share, driven by its processing versatility and strong consumer acceptance across various product categories. This segment's dominance highlights its ability to adapt to shifting consumer preferences through innovations such as diverse sausage varieties, health-focused bacon alternatives, and ham products that blend traditional appeal with modern health-conscious trends. Beef is set to experience the fastest growth, with a projected CAGR of 4.88% through 2030, supported by premium product development and a strategic focus on quality attributes. The poultry segment continues to perform steadily, benefiting from advancements in nuggets, specialty sausages, and deli meat offerings that emphasize lean protein benefits. Mutton remains a niche segment with stable demand, primarily concentrated in specific regional and ethnic markets.

Advanced processing technologies are transforming product development across all meat categories. Automation plays a key role in ensuring consistent quality and enabling innovative texture profiles. For instance, JBS's USD 135 million investment in sausage production in Iowa exemplifies the industry's adoption of advanced technologies. The facility incorporates robotics and AI-driven quality control systems, facilitating quick product changeovers and customized formulations to meet evolving consumer demands. Additionally, regulatory requirements, such as FSIS's pathogen control measures, are influencing segment developments. Companies that effectively address these regulations gain a competitive edge by enhancing food safety credentials and improving operational efficiency.

United States Processed Meat Market: Market Share by Meat Type
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By Distribution Channels: On-Trade Leadership Meets Off-Trade Growth

On-trade channels command 55.78% market share in 2024, reflecting the foodservice sector's substantial processed meat consumption across restaurants, catering operations, and institutional facilities. This dominance stems from operational advantages where pre-processed products enable labor cost management while delivering consistent taste experiences across service locations. Off-trade channels demonstrate superior growth velocity at 5.11% CAGR through 2030, driven by retail expansion, e-commerce adoption, and consumer preference shifts toward home preparation. Supermarkets and hypermarkets within the off-trade maintain the largest individual segment share, benefiting from expanded refrigerated sections and premium product positioning strategies.

The channel dynamics reflect broader consumer behavior evolution where convenience and quality intersect across both foodservice and retail environments. Online retail growth within off-trade channels accelerates through improved cold chain logistics and subscription-based delivery models that enhance product accessibility. Convenience stores are expanding processed meat offerings through partnerships with major suppliers and enhanced refrigeration capabilities. The competitive landscape within distribution channels intensifies as companies develop channel-specific products and pricing strategies to optimize market penetration and margin realization across diverse customer segments.

United States Processed Meat Market: Market Share by Distribution Channels
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Geography Analysis

Regional consumption patterns across the United States reveal distinct preferences and growth trajectories that reflect demographic composition, cultural influences, and economic conditions. The Midwest maintains the highest per-capita processed meat consumption, supported by livestock production proximity and cultural traditions favoring meat-centric diets. Southern states demonstrate robust growth in processed meat adoption, driven by expanding foodservice sectors and population growth in metropolitan areas. Western regions show increasing demand for premium and specialty processed meat products, reflecting higher disposable incomes and health-conscious consumer segments willing to pay premiums for quality attributes.

Processing facility distribution aligns with livestock production centers, creating regional supply chain advantages and cost efficiencies. Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas maintain dominant positions in processing capacity, benefiting from livestock proximity and established infrastructure networks USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. These regions attract continued investment in facility modernization and capacity expansion, with companies leveraging automation technologies to enhance productivity while addressing labor market challenges. Coastal markets demonstrate higher receptivity to innovative product formats and premium positioning, creating opportunities for differentiated offerings that command higher margins.

Transportation and logistics considerations increasingly influence regional market dynamics as companies optimize distribution networks to serve diverse geographic markets efficiently. Cold chain infrastructure investments support expanded market reach for chilled processed meat products, enabling premium positioning in previously underserved regions. State-level regulatory variations create compliance complexities that favor larger processors with resources to navigate diverse requirements, while creating opportunities for regional specialists with focused geographic strategies. The regulatory landscape continues evolving as states implement varying approaches to food safety oversight and labeling requirements.

Competitive Landscape

The United States processed meat market exhibits moderate concentration with established players leveraging scale advantages while preserving opportunities for regional specialists and innovation-focused entrants. Market leaders pursue technology-driven differentiation through automation investments and product innovation, with Cargill's USD 90 million Colorado facility upgrade exemplifying the strategic emphasis on operational efficiency and quality consistency. Strategic positioning increasingly centers on vertical integration capabilities, supply chain resilience, and regulatory compliance excellence that create sustainable competitive advantages. 

Companies successfully balancing scale efficiency with product differentiation capture disproportionate market share and margin expansion opportunities. Emerging competitive dynamics reflect the intersection of traditional processing expertise with technological innovation and changing consumer preferences. Smaller processors gain competitive positioning through specialization in premium segments, organic offerings, and regional brand development that leverages local sourcing and artisanal positioning. The competitive landscape rewards companies that successfully navigate regulatory complexity while investing in automation technologies that reduce labor dependency and enhance food safety capabilities. 

Patent filings in meat processing automation and packaging innovations indicate continued technological advancement, with companies seeking intellectual property protection for proprietary processing methods and equipment designs. FSIS compliance requirements create competitive advantages for companies with robust quality systems and testing capabilities, enabling market share gains through superior food safety credentials.

United States Processed Meat Industry Leaders

  1. Hormel Foods Corporation

  2. Marfrig Global Foods S.A.

  3. Sysco Corporation

  4. Tyson Foods Inc.

  5. WH Group Limited

  6. *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
United States Processed Meat Market Concentration
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Recent Industry Developments

  • September 2025: Meat snack brand Carnal launched two new products: Beef Sticks and Umami Cut Beef Jerky. The new Umami Cut Jerky builds on this by offering high-quality beef cuts infused with aged soy, fermented black garlic, and spring black truffles, delivering a savory and steak-like textured snack.
  • September 2025: MrBeast, Jimmy Donaldson, the world’s most popular YouTuber, partnered with Jack Link's to launch on-the-go snacks, including Turkey Mini Sticks, Original Beef Mini Sticks, Zero Sugar Original Beef Mini Sticks, Teriyaki Beef Mini Sticks, Original Beef Jerky, and Peppered Beef Jerky, and others.
  • September 2025: Slim Jim and Buffalo Wild Wings launched bold new Chicken Sticks. The products are available in 2 different flavors, Buffalo Style and Hot. The products are suitable for on-the-go snacking, lunch boxes, road trips, and more.
  • May 2025: New Primal, a prominent name in clean-ingredient meat snacks, has introduced its latest product: Rotisserie-Seasoned Chicken Sticks. The products are all-natural and have rotisserie seasoning flavors, offering consumers a convenient and satisfying high-protein snack option on the go.

Table of Contents for United States Processed Meat Industry Report

1. INTRODUCTION

  • 1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
  • 1.2 Scope of the Study

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. MARKET LANDSCAPE

  • 4.1 Market Overview
  • 4.2 Market Drivers
    • 4.2.1 Increasing consumer demand for convenient, ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare protein-rich food options
    • 4.2.2 Technological advancements in meat processing
    • 4.2.3 Growing demand from the foodservice sector
    • 4.2.4 Rising consumer awareness about protein intake
    • 4.2.5 Increasing popularity of chilled processed meat
    • 4.2.6 Government support for industry growth, expansion and investment
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 Growing consumer health concerns related to processed meat consumption
    • 4.3.2 Stringent government regulations and food safety compliance
    • 4.3.3 Intense competition from alternative protein sources
    • 4.3.4 Supply chain disruptions affecting raw material availability
  • 4.4 Supply Chain Analysis
  • 4.5 Regulatory Outlook
  • 4.6 Porter’s Five Forces
    • 4.6.1 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.6.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers
    • 4.6.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.6.4 Threat of Substitute Products
    • 4.6.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5. MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH FORECAST (Value and Volume )

  • 5.1 Meat Type
    • 5.1.1 Beef
    • 5.1.1.1 Sausages
    • 5.1.1.2 Jerky
    • 5.1.1.3 Steaks
    • 5.1.1.4 Briskets
    • 5.1.1.5 Patties
    • 5.1.1.6 Others
    • 5.1.2 Pork
    • 5.1.2.1 Sausages
    • 5.1.2.2 Bacon
    • 5.1.2.3 Ham
    • 5.1.2.4 Others
    • 5.1.3 Poultry
    • 5.1.3.1 Nuggets
    • 5.1.3.2 Sausages
    • 5.1.3.3 Drumsticks
    • 5.1.3.4 Meatballs
    • 5.1.3.5 Deli Meat
    • 5.1.3.6 Others
    • 5.1.4 Mutton
    • 5.1.4.1 Sausages
    • 5.1.4.2 Minced meat
    • 5.1.4.3 Ground Meat
    • 5.1.4.4 Others
    • 5.1.5 Others
  • 5.2 Distribution Channels
    • 5.2.1 Off-Trade
    • 5.2.1.1 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets
    • 5.2.1.2 Convenience Stores
    • 5.2.1.3 Online Retail
    • 5.2.1.4 Others
    • 5.2.2 On-Trade
    • 5.2.2.1 Cafes and Bars
    • 5.2.2.2 Restaurants
    • 5.2.2.3 Catering
    • 5.2.2.4 Others

6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Strategic Moves
  • 6.3 Market Ranking Analysis
  • 6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global-level Overview, Market-level Overview, Core Segments, Financials (if available), Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share, Products & Services, Recent Developments)
    • 6.4.1 Smithfield Foods Inc.
    • 6.4.2 JBS USA (Pilgrim’s Pride)
    • 6.4.3 Hormel Foods Corporation
    • 6.4.4 Cargill Meat Solutions
    • 6.4.5 Conagra Brands Inc.
    • 6.4.6 Maple Leaf Foods
    • 6.4.7 Marfrig Global Foods S.A.
    • 6.4.8 Sysco Corporation
    • 6.4.9 The Kraft Heinz Company
    • 6.4.10 National Beef Packing Co.
    • 6.4.11 Perdue Farms Inc.
    • 6.4.12 Sanderson Farms Inc.
    • 6.4.13 Seaboard Foods
    • 6.4.14 OSI Group LLC
    • 6.4.15 Johnsonville Sausage LLC
    • 6.4.16 Foster Farms
    • 6.4.17 Jack Link’s Protein Snacks
    • 6.4.18 Applegate Farms LLC
    • 6.4.19 WH Group Ltd.
    • 6.4.20 Butterball LLC

7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

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United States Processed Meat Market Report Scope

Beef, Mutton, Pork, Poultry are covered as segments by Type. Off-Trade, On-Trade are covered as segments by Distribution Channel.
Meat Type
Beef Sausages
Jerky
Steaks
Briskets
Patties
Others
Pork Sausages
Bacon
Ham
Others
Poultry Nuggets
Sausages
Drumsticks
Meatballs
Deli Meat
Others
Mutton Sausages
Minced meat
Ground Meat
Others
Others
Distribution Channels
Off-Trade Supermarkets and Hypermarkets
Convenience Stores
Online Retail
Others
On-Trade Cafes and Bars
Restaurants
Catering
Others
Meat Type Beef Sausages
Jerky
Steaks
Briskets
Patties
Others
Pork Sausages
Bacon
Ham
Others
Poultry Nuggets
Sausages
Drumsticks
Meatballs
Deli Meat
Others
Mutton Sausages
Minced meat
Ground Meat
Others
Others
Distribution Channels Off-Trade Supermarkets and Hypermarkets
Convenience Stores
Online Retail
Others
On-Trade Cafes and Bars
Restaurants
Catering
Others
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Market Definition

  • Meat - Meat is defined as the flesh or other edible parts of an animal used for food. The end use of the meat industry consists of only human consumption. Meat is generally purchased from retail outlets for home cooking and consumption. For the market studied, only uncooked meat has been considered. This could be processed in various forms, which have been covered under the “Processed” form. The other purchases of meat happen through the consumption of meat at foodservice outlets (restaurants, hotels, catering, etc.). ​
  • Other Meats - The other meat segment includes the meat of camel, horse, rabbit, etc. These are not so commonly consumed meat types but still, have a presence in distinct parts of the world. Regardless of it being part of red meat, we have considered these meat types separately for a better understanding of the market. ​
  • Poultry Meat - Poultry meat also called white meat, comes from birds raised commercially or domestically for human consumption. This includes chicken, turkey, ducks, and geese.​
  • Red Meat - Red meat typically has a red color when raw and a dark color when cooked. It includes any meat that comes from mammals, such as beef, lamb, pork, goat, veal, and mutton.​
Keyword Definition
A5 It is a Japanese grading system for beef. The 'A' means the carcass yield is the highest possible and the numeric rating relates to beef marbling, color and brightness of the flesh, its texture and color, luster, and fat quality. A5 is the highest mark wagyu beef can score.
Abbatoir It is another name for a slaughterhouse and refers to the premise used for or in connection with the slaughter of animals whose meat is intended for human consumption.
Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) It is a disease that affects shrimp and is characterized by high mortalities, in many cases reaching 100% within 30-35 days of stocking grow-out ponds.
African Swine Fever (ASF) It is a highly contagious viral disease of pigs caused by a double-stranded DNA virus in the Asfarviridae family.
Albacore Tuna It is one of the smallest species of tuna found in the six distinct stocks known globally in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea.
Angus beef It is beef derived from a specific breed of cattle indigenous to Scotland. It requires certification from the American Angus Association to receive the "Certified Angus Beef" quality mark
Bacon It is salted or smoked meat that comes from the back or sides of a pig
Black Angus It is beef derived from a black-hided breed of cows that don't have horns.
Bologna It is an Italian smoked sausage made of meat, typically large and made from pork, beef or veal.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) It is a progressive neurological disorder of cattle that results from infection by an unusual transmissible agent called a prion.
Bratwurst It refers to a type of German sausage made from pork, beef or veal.
BRC British Retail Consortium
Brisket It is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of beef or veal. The beef brisket is one of the nine beef primal cuts.
Broiler It refers to any chicken (Gallus domesticus) that is bred and raised specifically for meat production.
Bushel It is a unit of measurement for grains and pulses. 1 bushel = 27.216 kg
Carcass It refers to the dressed body of a meat animal from which butchers trim the meat
CFIA Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Chicken Tender It refers to chicken meat prepared from the pectoralis minor muscles of a chicken bird.
Chuck Steak It refers to a cut of beef that is part of the chuck primal, which is a large section of meat from the shoulder area of a cow
Corned Beef It refers to beef brisket cured in brine and boiled, typically served cold.
CWT Also known as a hundredweight, it is a unit of measurement used to define the quantity of meat. 1 CWT = 50.80 kg
Drumstick It refers to a chicken leg without the thigh.
EFSA European Food Safety Authority
ERS Economic Research Service of the USDA
Ewe It is an adult female sheep.
FDA Food and Drug Administration
Fillet Mignon It is a cut of meat taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin.
Flank Steak It is a cut of beef steak taken from the flank, which lies forward of the rear quarter of a cow.
Foodservice It refers to the part of the food industry which includes businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
Forage It refers to animal feed.
Foreshank It is the upper part of the foreleg of cattle
Franks Also known as frankfurter or Würstchen, it is a type of highly seasoned smoked sausage popular in Austria and Germany.
FSANZ Food Standards Australia New Zealand
FSIS Food Safety and Inspection Service
FSSAI Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
Gizzard It refers to an organ found in the digestive tract of birds. It is also called the mechanical stomach of a bird.
Gluten It is a family of proteins found in grains, including wheat, rye, spelt, and barley
Grain-fed beef It is beef derived from cattle that have been fed a diet supplemented with soy and corn and other additives. Grainfed cows can also be given antibiotics and growth hormones to fatten them up more quickly.
Grass-fed beef It is beef derived from cattle that have only been fed grass as feed.
Ham It refers to the pork meat taken from the leg of a pig.
HoReCa Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes
Jerky It is lean trimmed meat that has been cut into strips and dried (dehydrated) to prevent spoilage.
Kobe Beef It is Wagyu beef specifically from the Kuroge Washu breed of cows in Japan. To be classified as Kobe beef, the cow must have been born, raised, and slaughtered within the Hyōgo prefecture in the city of Kobe in Japan.
Liverwurst It is type of German sausage made from beef or pork liver.
Loin It refers to the sides between the lower ribs and pelvis, and the lower part of the back of a cow.
Mortadella It is a large Italian sausage or luncheon meat made of finely hashed or ground heat-cured pork, which incorporates at least 15% small cubes of pork fat.
Pastrami It refers to a highly seasoned smoked beef, typically served in thin slices.
Pepperoni It is an American variety of spicy salami made from cured meat.
Plate It refers to a forequarter cut from the belly of a cow, just below the rib cut.
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) It is a disease occurring in swine causing late-term reproductive failure and severe pneumonia in neonatal pigs.
Primal cuts It refers to the major sections of the carcass.
Quorn It is a meat substitute product prepared using mycoprotein as an ingredient, in which the fungus culture is dried and mixed with egg albumen or potato protein, which acts as a binder, and then is adjusted in texture and pressed into various forms.
Ready-to-Cook (RTC) It refers to food products that include all of the ingredients, where some preparation or cooking is required through a process that is given on the package.
Ready-to-Eat (RTE) It refers to a food product prepared or cooked in advance, with no further cooking or preparation required before being eaten
Retort Packaging It is a process of aseptic packaging food in which food is filled into a pouch or metal can, sealed, and then heated to extremely high temperatures, rendering the product commercially sterile.
Round Steak It refers to a beef steak from the the rear leg of the cow.
Rump Steak It refers to a cut of beef derived from the division between the leg and the chine.
Salami It is a cured sausage consisting of fermented and air-dried meat.
Saturated fat It is a type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all single bonds. It is generally considered unhealthy.
Sausage It is a meat product made of finely chopped and seasoned meat, which may be fresh, smoked, or pickled and which is then usually stuffed into a casing.
Scallop It is an edible shellfish that is a mollusk with a ribbed shell in two parts.
Seitan It is a plant-based meat substitute made out of wheat gluten.
Self-service kios It refers to a self-order point-of-sale (POS) system through which customers place and pay for their own orders at kiosks, enabling totally contactless and frictionless service.
Sirloin It is a cut of beef from the bottom and side parts of a cow's back.
Surimi It is a paste made from deboned fish
Tenderloin It refers to a cut of beef consisting of the entire tenderloin muscle of a cow
Tiger Shrimp It refers to a large shrimp variety from the Indian and Pacific oceans
Trans fat Also called trans-unsaturated fatty acids or trans fatty acids, it is a type of unsaturated fat that naturally occurs in small amounts in meat.
Vannamei shrimp It refers to tropical prawns and shrimp that are farmed in areas near the equator, generally along the coast in artificial ponds.
Wagyu Bee It is beef derived from any of four strains of a breed of black or red Japanese cattle that are valued for their highly marbled meat.
Zoosanitary It refers to the cleanliness of animals or animal product
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Research Methodology

Mordor Intelligence follows a four-step methodology in all our reports.

  • Step-1: Identify Key Variables: In order to build a robust forecasting methodology, the variables and factors identified in Step 1 are tested against available historical market numbers. Through an iterative process, the variables required for market forecast are set, and the model is built on the basis of these variables.​
  • Step-2: Build a Market Model: Market-size estimations for the forecast years are in nominal terms. Inflation is not a part of the pricing, and the average selling price (ASP) is kept constant throughout the forecast period for each country.​
  • Step-3: Validate and Finalize: In this important step, all market numbers, variables, and analyst calls are validated through an extensive network of primary research experts from the market studied. The respondents are selected across levels and functions to generate a holistic picture of the market studied.​
  • Step-4: Research Outputs: Syndicated Reports, Custom Consulting Assignments, Databases & Subscription Platforms.
research-methodology
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