Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays is talking with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Senior Director for Market Research, David Freelander, about generational trends when it comes to purchasing beef.
“It is interesting because there is a lot in the media right now that talks about some of the younger generations, Gen Z specifically, avoiding beef proteins and staying away from that as a product,” Freelander said. “One thing we are very curious about is how much of that is marketplace, how much of that is media, and how much is reality. Our data is actually suggesting it is more a feature of pocketbook and where they are in terms of life-stage as opposed to a preference to some of the other meat proteins, specifically.”
Freelander said Generation Z is ages 18 to 26.
“We are seeing them not necessarily having a steak, but having ground (beef), or perhaps having chicken, or pork right now is a relatively inexpensive alternative if you are looking for a meat protein,” Freelander said.
As Generation Z grows older, Freelander said he expects them to purchase more beef products. As a group, Freelander said Generation Z is concerned with the sustainability of products they purchase, giving back to the marketplace, and they like diversity.
“If you look at the number of farmers, ranchers, and producers around that beef industry, so many of them are local,” Freelander said. “The percentage of income that goes into those farmers and ranchers goes right back into your local community whether it is your hired help or whether it is your feed.”
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR at the top of the story for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
