01 Industry overview
The meat packing industry at a glance
U.S. meat packing remains a large, concentrated industry: federally inspected red-meat production totaled 53.8 billion pounds in 2025, while four firms handled 85% of steer and heifer purchases.
- 53.8B lb[107]
- U.S. red meat production, 2025
- 85%[104]
- Top-four cattle purchase share, 2019
- 63,380[41]
- Slaughterers and meat packers, 2025
- 231.6B lb[104]
- Red meat and poultry forecast, 2026
- Market size
- The U.S. industry produced 53.8 billion pounds of red meat in 2025, including 26.1 billion pounds of beef and 27.6 billion pounds of pork. The broader red-meat-and-poultry processing market is forecast at 231.6 billion pounds of production in 2026.[107][104]
- Forecast & CAGR
- USDA forecasts total red-meat-and-poultry production at 231.6 billion pounds in 2026 and 232.3 billion pounds in 2027, implying approximately 0.3% year-over-year growth. Beef production is forecast to decline from 24.8 billion pounds in 2026 to 24.7 billion pounds in 2027, while pork rises from 27.6 billion to 27.8 billion pounds.[104]
- Market share & regions
- Production is geographically concentrated near livestock supplies and major feedlots, with important beef-processing activity in the Great Plains and poultry processing concentrated in the Southeast. USDA identifies the four largest firms as handling 85% of steer and heifer purchases and 67% of hog purchases; a comparable current regional market-share series was not available.[104]
- Segmentation
- U.S. Census classifies meat packing under NAICS 3116, covering animal slaughtering, meat processed from carcasses, rendering and meat byproduct processing, and poultry processing. The principal product segments are beef, pork, lamb and mutton, broilers, and turkey; in 2025, beef and pork production totaled 26.1 billion and 27.6 billion pounds, respectively.[108][107]
- Key players & concentration
- The four largest beef packers accounted for 85% of steer and heifer purchases, while the four largest pork packers accounted for 67% of hog purchases in 2019. DOJ stated in 2026 that processors participating in Agri Stats represented more than 90% of U.S. broiler sales, 80% of pork sales, and 90% of turkey sales.[104][109]
- Pricing
- USDA’s fourth-quarter 2025 grass-fed beef report showed average direct-to-consumer prices of $39.42 per pound for filet mignon, $12.46 per pound for ground beef with at least 90% lean content, and $12.12 per pound for brisket. USDA Market News publishes weekly advertised retail pricing for beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and other proteins.[110][111]
- Trends, drivers & challenges
- The main near-term constraint is cattle availability: 2025 beef production fell 4% to 26.1 billion pounds, while cattle slaughter declined 6% to 29.8 million head. Industry capacity, labor availability, livestock costs, and competition policy remain central issues; DOJ filed a 2026 settlement targeting competitively sensitive information exchanges among major meat processors.[107][109]
- Consumer behavior & competition
- Consumers purchase meat through retail and foodservice channels, with competition spanning fresh cuts, ground meat, processed products, poultry, and branded offerings. USDA’s advertised-price program tracks several hundred grocery commodities weekly, while high buyer concentration leaves many livestock producers with only two to four major buyers in local markets.[111][104]
- M&A
- Recent consolidation has often crossed species categories rather than combining direct rivals within one product market. In August 2026, JBS offered approximately $1.2 billion in stock to acquire the 18% of Pilgrim’s Pride that it did not already own, which would give JBS full control of the U.S. poultry producer.[5][104]
- Regulation
- The Packers and Stockyards Act governs fair competition and trade practices in livestock, meat, and poultry markets. USDA’s 2024 final rule addressed inclusive competition and market integrity, while the 2026 DOJ-Agri Stats settlement targeted the exchange of price, output, and cost information among competing processors.[111][109]
- Latest news
- On November 9, 2026, Tyson Foods said it would restore a second shift at its Amarillo, Texas, beef plant, with full operations expected by summer 2027, following capacity cuts caused by tight cattle supplies and losses in its beef business. The move signals selective capacity rebuilding rather than broad expansion across the sector.[112]
02 Ranking
Top 10 Companies in the Meat Packing Industry
The leading companies in the meat packing industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.
Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026
Cargill leads Gitnux's 2026 meat packing ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with 6.5% revenue growth and 22 US processing and distribution centers. MBRF Global Foods Company is the highest-ranked meat processor at 8.8, with 12% revenue growth and a vertically integrated multiprotein structure.
Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓
Editor's top 3 picks
Where to start, by need.
#1 Overall · Leader in beef processing
Cargill
US
Ranked #1 · 9.3 · Beef processing
Why we picked it: CarVe AI vision was introduced in 5 beef plants by October 2026.
Leader in multiprotein processing
MBRF Global Foods Company
BR
Ranked #2 · 8.8 · Multiprotein processing
Why we picked it: It operates globally across beef, poultry, pork, and processed foods.
#3 overall
JBS
BR
Ranked #3 · 8.8 · Multiprotein processing
Why we picked it: It operates across beef, poultry, pork, lamb, and prepared protein products.
Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Pick 2 is the highest-ranked company in the top 5 that adds a new segment; no further segment places in the top 5, so pick 3 follows rank.
Full ranking
| # | Company | Overall ↓ | Impact | Performance | Momentum | Innovation | Company snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cargill Beef processing · US | 9.3 | 9.9 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 9.9 | |
Company snapshot · Cargill · Data as of November 10, 2026 Processes beef in USDA-inspected facilities and operates 22 US processing and distribution centers.[80]
| |||||||
| 2 | MBRF Global Foods Company Multiprotein processing · BR | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 9.2 | |
Company snapshot · MBRF Global Foods Company · Data as of November 10, 2026 A vertically integrated multiprotein company formed through the Marfrig-BRF merger.[113]
| |||||||
| 3 | JBS Multiprotein processing · BR | 8.8 | 9.8 | 8.0 | 9.1 | 7.7 | |
Company snapshot · JBS · Data as of November 10, 2026 Global producer of beef, poultry, pork, lamb and prepared protein products.[97]
| |||||||
| 4 | Minerva Foods Beef processing · BR | 8.8 | 7.6 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 8.5 | |
Company snapshot · Minerva Foods · Data as of November 10, 2026 Operates cattle slaughtering, deboning, industrialized plants and international meat distribution.[114]
| |||||||
| 5 | Tyson Foods Multiprotein processing · US | 8.4 | 9.5 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 8.5 | |
Company snapshot · Tyson Foods · Data as of November 10, 2026 A leading protein company producing beef, pork, chicken and prepared foods.[115]
| |||||||
| 6 | Hormel Foods Branded pork, turkey and prepared meats · US | 8.3 | 8.4 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 9.2 | |
Company snapshot · Hormel Foods · Data as of November 10, 2026 Started as a meat processor and continues producing branded, value-added meat products.[116]
| |||||||
| 7 | Danish Crown European pork, beef and processed meats · DK | 7.8 | 8.6 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.7 | |
Company snapshot · Danish Crown · Data as of November 10, 2026 Operates slaughtering and processing businesses across Europe and supplies global meat markets.[117]
| |||||||
| 8 | Seaboard Foods Integrated US pork production and processing · US | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 7.7 | 7.7 | |
Company snapshot · Seaboard Foods · Data as of November 10, 2026
| |||||||
| 9 | Vion Food Group European pork, beef and plant-based foods · NL | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 7.7 | |
Company snapshot · Vion Food Group · Data as of November 10, 2026
| |||||||
| 10 | Westfleisch German pork, beef and veal processing · DE | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.2 | 7.8 | 7.0 | |
Company snapshot · Westfleisch · Data as of November 10, 2026
| |||||||
How we score
- Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
- Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
- Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
- Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.
Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.
Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.
Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.
Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.
Cite this ranking
APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the meat packing industry. In Meat Packing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/meat-packing-industry-statistics/#top-companies
Revenue of the largest meat packing companies
Cargill leads with $164.0B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).
03 Trends & forecasts
Top 10 Meat Packing Industry Trends & Forecasts 2027
What is changing in the meat packing industry, with the evidence behind each trend and a forecast for 2027.
Forecasts were generated by an AI model from the cited evidence. They are estimates, not guarantees.
01Overall production edges higher
High confidenceUSDA forecasts total U.S. red-meat-and-poultry production at 231.6 billion pounds in 2026 and 232.3 billion pounds in 2027, an increase of about 0.3%. The forecast indicates a broadly stable processing market rather than a high-growth cycle.[104]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, industry volume should rise only modestly, with growth concentrated in poultry and pork while beef remains constrained. Capacity utilization is likely to remain uneven across species and regions.
02Beef supply remains structurally tight
High confidenceU.S. beef production fell to 26.1 billion pounds in 2025, down 4%, while commercial cattle slaughter declined 6% to 29.8 million head. USDA forecasts beef production at 24.675 billion pounds in 2027, below 2025 levels, and expects a slow slaughter pace to continue.[107][104]
Forecast 2027: Beef packers will continue competing aggressively for available cattle in 2027. Production is likely to remain near 24.7 billion pounds, with periodic plant underutilization and selective efforts to restore shifts rather than broad capacity expansion.
03Pork production resumes modest growth
High confidencePork production is forecast to rise from 27.621 billion pounds in 2026 to 27.825 billion pounds in 2027. USDA has also highlighted heavier dressed weights as an important support for production despite smaller hog numbers.[104]
Forecast 2027: Pork packing volumes should increase by roughly 0.7% in 2027. Packers are likely to rely on carcass-weight gains, plant efficiency and export sales rather than a major expansion in hog supplies.
04Poultry continues taking volume share
High confidenceUSDA forecasts broiler production to increase from 49.720 billion pounds in 2026 to 50.150 billion pounds in 2027, while turkey production rises from 5.134 billion to 5.180 billion pounds. Poultry therefore supplies most of the sector's forecast volume growth.[104]
Forecast 2027: Poultry processors should capture incremental volume in 2027, especially in broilers. Growth will likely be positive but slower than in periods when feed margins and exports are simultaneously stronger.
05Beef prices stay elevated
Medium confidenceUSDA forecasts beef and veal prices to increase 8.7% in 2026, with a forecast interval of 7.4% to 10.1%. The agency attributes the outlook to lower beef production and tight cattle supplies.[104]
Forecast 2027: Retail and wholesale beef prices should remain historically high in 2027, even if the rate of increase moderates. Packers will face pressure to protect margins while managing higher cattle acquisition costs and constrained throughput.
06Pork prices remain comparatively restrained
Medium confidenceIn September 2026, pork prices were unchanged from August and 0.7% below September 2025, according to USDA's Food Price Outlook. The relatively soft price performance contrasts with tight beef supplies and reflects more ample pork availability.[104]
Forecast 2027: Pork pricing should remain more competitive than beef in 2027 as production expands. Packers are likely to emphasize processed products, value cuts and exports to manage margin pressure.
07Beef exports remain below past peaks
High confidenceUSDA reported that U.S. beef exports were about 15% lower year over year through July 2026, although export value was down only 8% because unit value increased 8%. The October outlook forecasts 2027 beef exports at about 2.325 billion pounds.[104]
Forecast 2027: Beef export volume should remain subdued in 2027, with high prices limiting tonnage even where foreign demand remains strong. Exporters will focus increasingly on higher-value destinations and cuts rather than maximizing total volume.
08Pork exports expand gradually
Medium confidenceUSDA forecasts pork exports to increase from 7.050 billion pounds in 2026 to 7.095 billion pounds in 2027. The agency has also noted that stronger shipments can support production even when domestic demand is moderate.[104]
Forecast 2027: Pork exports should grow by less than 1% in 2027. The expansion will provide a modest outlet for additional production, but competition and softer demand in some important markets will limit upside.
09Labor costs sustain automation pressure
High confidenceThe Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 69,950 U.S. slaughterers and meat packers in May 2025, with a median annual wage of $40,130 for the occupation. Meat and poultry processing work remains physically demanding and labor-intensive, increasing the incentive to automate repetitive cutting, handling and packaging tasks.[41]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, larger processors should continue deploying machine vision, automated packaging, robotics and digital production controls where labor savings can justify capital costs. Automation will supplement rather than replace labor because slaughter and fabrication remain difficult to fully automate.
10Independent processing capacity expands
High confidenceUSDA's processing programs are designed to expand domestic capacity and allow independent facilities to serve more customers and markets. USDA said it had awarded more than $200 million through MPPEP, while its 2026 Phase 4 program made $60 million available for capacity expansion and diversification.[111][118]
Forecast 2027: Independent and regional processors should add incremental capacity in 2027, particularly for beef and value-added products. Their growth will improve local market access but will not materially displace the largest national packers in total volume.
04 Statistics
Technology & Innovation
Automation and AI are tied to plant operations and implementation effort; 70% of Cargill’s CarVe AI applications are plug-and-play between plants. Labor reduction is cited alongside per-line changes such as 3D-vision saw lines.
AI in the meat packing industry
- 6% of Smithfield’s factory-floor operational workforce was reduced over three years as the company adopted AI-enabled automation and other production technologies.[1]
- 5 Cargill beef plants had introduced the CarVe AI vision system by October 2026, including facilities in Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Alberta and Ontario.[2]
- 70% of Cargill’s CarVe AI applications are plug-and-play between plants, while 30% require data-science work for first-time implementation, according to the company’s 2026 rollout update.[2]
- 5 Tyson Foods facilities use AI refrigeration controls, according to a review of the company’s disclosed AI applications.[3]
- 3,000 cuts per day were eliminated for workers at Cargill’s Dodge City, Kansas, beef plant after installation of saw lines using 3D vision and AI-assisted automation.[1]
Automation in the meat packing industry
- 588,000 metric tons of meat were produced in Chapecó, Brazil, in 2025, where automation is being expanded amid a workforce of approximately 19,500 meat-sector workers.[4]
- More than 650 Tyson Foods employees had received training at the company’s TMAC technology and automation center by 2023.[5]
- $1.3 billion was the automation investment Tyson Foods’ chief executive cited in 2021 as the company’s planned commitment to production automation.[5]
- 15,000 industrial robots were installed globally in the food sector in 2022, compared with 136,000 in automotive manufacturing; food processing includes meat processing applications.[6]
Digital Transformation in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 40% of 423 food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their organization’s biggest operational barrier in 2026.[7]
- 82% of food and beverage leaders said technology adoption was a strategic priority, while 6% reported fully integrated digital systems, in a 2025 survey.[7]
- 28% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals reported positive effects from digital transformation technologies on food-safety preventive controls in 2024.[8]
- 34% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals said manufacturing process or assembly had been positively affected by digital transformation technologies in 2024.[8]
Technology Adoption in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 23% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in mobile-app technologies in 2025.[8]
- 50% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in artificial intelligence as part of their 2025 digital-transformation strategies.[8]
- 22% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in machine-learning software in 2025.[8]
- 31% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in robotics or robotic process automation in 2025.[8]
Cloud Computing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 39.5% of EU enterprises in accommodation and food-service activities used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[9]
- 52% of food processors and manufacturers were considering cloud technology, while 45% reported no cloud use, in a 2023 industry survey.[10]
- 30% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in cloud computing or enterprise resource-planning software and systems in 2025.[8]
- 18% of food manufacturers were already using cloud-based manufacturing-execution systems, while 51% planned implementation, according to a 2025 industry survey.[11]
Big Data in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 47% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals identified gathering, analyzing, and leveraging data for data-driven decisions as a digital-transformation investment driver in 2024.[8]
- 13% of food manufacturers were already using advanced-analytics or big-data platforms, while 44% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[11]
- 24% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with advanced analytics, while 34% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[12]
- 35% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in big data and real-time analytics in 2025.[8]
Blockchain in the meat packing industry
- 1 blockchain-based meat-traceability pilot was undertaken by Stockyard Beef to support provenance and product-integrity claims for its beef brand.[13]
- 1 blockchain-enabled meat-value-chain project, Iberchain, was implemented for products labeled as 100% native Iberian breed.[14]
- 2 meat categories—beef and pork—were covered during Poland’s blockchain, IoT and big-data food-passport pilot.[15]
- 2021–2023 was the pilot period for Poland’s blockchain-based digital food passports covering beef and pork markets and tracking origin, production, processing and distribution.[15]
IoT in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 33% of UK manufacturing companies had adopted IoT technologies in a 2024 national survey, with manufacturing among the sectors reporting comparatively high adoption.[16]
05 Statistics
Data & Analytics
Survey and benchmarking design is built around sampling error and processor participation targets, including 30 planned enrollments for an Upper Midwest benchmarking tool. Data governance and completeness are repeatedly treated as operational prerequisites.
Business intelligence in the meat packing industry
- 10–15 meat processors were required to launch the proposed Upper Midwest benchmarking tool.[17]
- 1,268 meat and poultry processors were contacted for AAMP’s 2023–2024 industry data-collection survey in the United States.[18]
- 30 meat processors was the target enrollment for the proposed Upper Midwest benchmarking tool.[17]
- 590 meat and poultry facilities would have reduced the estimated sampling requirement to an approximately 20% error level in EPA’s questionnaire design.[19]
- 70 responding meat and poultry facilities, or about 48% of respondents, were more than 25 years old in the United States.[18]
- 5 participants were required to provide the underlying data for each Agri Stats industry statistic.[20]
Data analytics in the meat packing industry
- 50.82% of processor, trader and first-handler firms reported collecting some data in the 2019 agricultural supply-chain survey.[21]
- 1,500 responses were received in a 2019 agricultural-value-chain survey examining organizational data use and analytics, including food processors.[22]
- 1,200 cattle per day was the throughput of the smallest commercial cattle-processing plant in the 2021–2022 U.S. study.[23]
- 150 cattle per hour was the chain speed at the smallest commercial cattle-processing plant in the 2021–2022 U.S. study.[23]
- 4,000–5,000 cattle per day was the average throughput at four of the five commercial cattle-processing plants studied in the United States.[23]
- 7.79% of processor, trader and first-handler firms reported collecting no data in the 2019 agricultural supply-chain survey.[21]
Data Quality in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 22% of consumer-products companies reported that businesses lacked trust in data quality and validity in 2024.[24]
- 7.0 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data completeness as important in 2018.[25]
- 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data timeliness as important in 2018.[25]
- 77% of retail and consumer-products companies identified improving data quality as a priority in 2023.[26]
- 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data accuracy as important in 2018.[25]
- 6.6 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data consistency as important in 2018.[25]
Data Governance in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 90% of supply-management organizations agreed or strongly agreed that data governance was necessary in 2024.[27]
- 43% of consumer-products companies reported struggling to establish the right level of data governance in 2024.[24]
- 47% of supply-management data-governance functions were housed in a center of excellence in 2024.[27]
- 61% of supply-management organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[27]
- 22% of consumer-products companies planned to increase investment in data infrastructure and governance over the following 12 months in 2024.[24]
- 81% of supply-management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[27]
KPIs in the meat packing industry
- 5% was the reported increase in total sales associated with Meat Processing Plant A’s yield-tracking process.[28]
- 50 animals per week was Meat Processing Plant A’s maximum cooler-capacity target.[28]
- 4,500 pounds of hanging weight processed daily was Meat Processing Plant A’s profitability KPI.[28]
- 34 animals per week was Meat Processing Plant A’s break-even slaughter-floor target in the United States.[28]
- 40 animals per week was Meat Processing Plant A’s stated clear-profitability slaughter-floor target.[28]
- 350 processing slots per week was Meat Processing Plant C’s profitability target.[28]
06 Statistics
Strategy & Growth
Capacity and throughput figures anchor operator planning, including Tyson’s 155,000 head per week beef-processing capacity across 11 U.S. facilities at fiscal year-end 2025. USDA volume forecasts and firm capacity examples together define near-term constraint periods.
Growth in the meat packing industry
- 155,000 head per week was Tyson Foods’ beef-processing capacity across 11 facilities at fiscal year-end 2025 in the United States.[29]
- 2,400 cattle per day is the planned full-capacity throughput of American Foods Group’s Wright City, Missouri, beef plant.[2]
- 451,000 head per week was Tyson Foods’ pork-processing capacity across six facilities at fiscal year-end 2025 in the United States.[29]
- 72 million pounds per week was Tyson Foods’ prepared-foods capacity across 35 facilities at fiscal year-end 2025 in the United States.[29]
- $86.184 billion was JBS N.V.’s net revenue in 2025, up 11.7% from 2024 globally.[30]
- 1.4% was 2024 sales growth for Canada’s meat-product manufacturing sector, according to FCC Economics and Statistics Canada.[31]
Differentiation in the meat packing industry
- 1.7% was plant-based meat and seafood’s share of U.S. retail packaged-meat dollar sales in 2024.[32]
- 20% of U.S. beef, pork and chicken production is approximately represented by Tyson Foods’ output, according to the company.[29]
- 13% of U.S. households bought plant-based meat in 2024, according to the Good Food Institute.[32]
- 12% was the increase in natural-channel dollar velocity for plant-based meat and seafood in the United States in 2024.[32]
- 4% was the increase in average U.S. retail prices for plant-based meat and seafood in 2024.[32]
- 400,000-plus customers received Certified Humane beef, pork and bison through ButcherBox subscriptions in the contiguous United States in 2024.[33]
Mergers and acquisitions in the meat packing industry
- 16 branded-food M&A deals were recorded in year-to-date 2024, including five strategic and 11 financial transactions.[34]
- NZD57 million was Ridley Corporation’s announced cash acquisition price for Oceania Meat Processors in New Zealand in March 2024.[35]
- $38 million was Smithfield Foods’ purchase price for a dry-sausage production facility acquired from Cargill Meat Solutions in Nashville, Tennessee.[30]
- 45.8% was the year-over-year decline in strategic-buyer acquisition activity in the broader food sector reported in 2025.[34]
- 26.1% was the year-over-year decline in private-buyer acquisition activity in the broader food sector reported in 2025.[34]
- $280 million was Lassonde Industries’ acquisition price for Summer Garden Food Manufacturing, expanding its food manufacturing and product portfolio.[36]
Strategic partnerships in the meat packing industry
- 25,000 pounds of donated protein had been obtained for Montana schools by August 2025 through the Producer Partnership.[37]
- 84 meat-packer and processor companies reported data for the Meat Institute’s Protein PACT in 2024.[38]
- 22% was the increase in pork sales from Minnesota Pork Board promotions with Coborn’s Grocery and Cash Wise Foods in 2024.[39]
- 20% was the year-over-year increase in pork tonnage from Minnesota Pork Board promotions with Coborn’s Grocery and Cash Wise Foods in 2024.[39]
- Three promotions were conducted in 2024 through the Minnesota Pork Board partnership with the registered-dietitian teams at Coborn’s Grocery and Cash Wise Foods.[39]
- More than 200,000 pounds of Montana-raised protein had been donated by Producer Partnership to charities and nonprofits since 2020.[40]
07 Statistics
People & Workforce
Workforce availability remains a measurable constraint, alongside projected job openings from 2025 through 2035 of 39,800 per year. Training and on-the-job requirements appear as recurring staffing mechanisms.
Hiring in the meat packing industry
- 39,800 job openings per year are projected for U.S. meat, poultry, and fish processing workers from 2025 through 2035.[41]
- 4,500 U.S. establishments employed workers in animal slaughtering and processing in 2024.[42]
- 359,300 U.S. meat, poultry, and fish processing workers were employed in 2025.[41]
- 430 workers were employed at Perdue Farms' Tennessee processing plant before its announced closure.[43]
- 14,250 people made up Queensland's meat-processing workforce, representing 32% of Australia's national meat-processing workforce.[44]
Employee retention in the meat packing industry
- 61% of employees in the sampled Australian meat-processing plants did not remain employed through the one-year milestone.[45]
- 740 meatworks employees from 25 Australian plants were interviewed for a retention study.[45]
- 54% to 60% of Pacific Northwest meat-processing workers who left jobs in 2013 were still in meat processing two years later.[46]
- 59% to 87% of employees identified as likely to leave by a meat-processing retention model actually left within 12 months.[45]
- 39% of employees who terminated in the sampled Australian meat-processing plants left after 12 months of service.[45]
Remote Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% let employees choose to work in-person or remotely in 2025, while 73% require in-person work.[47]
- Among food-sector career starters globally, 36% were fully site-based during their first two years of work, according to a 2024 survey.[48]
- U.S. accommodation and food-services firms averaged 0.1 work-from-home days per week from November 2024 through January 2025.[49]
- In U.S. accommodation and food services, 1.7% of employees were able to work fully remotely in 2024.[50]
Hybrid Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- In U.S. restaurant and bar businesses, 12% offered employees a choice between in-person and remote work in 2025.[47]
- Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% offered employees the option to work in-person or remotely in 2025.[47]
- Among food-sector career starters globally, 27% worked in a hybrid arrangement during their first two years, according to a 2024 survey.[48]
- In 2025, 80% of hospitality and food-services employers said they were still struggling to get the balance right with hybrid working.[51]
Upskilling in the meat packing industry
- 20% to 30% was the reported efficiency improvement among meat-industry participants after completing Oklahoma meat-harvesting and processing training.[52]
- $560,000-plus was awarded by Minnesota for meat-processing workforce development and hands-on training.[53]
- 76.3% of U.S. butchers and meat cutters required no minimum education in 2025.[41]
- 92% of Pacific Northwest meat processors were small or very-small establishments in 2024, shaping their workforce-training needs.[28]
- 96.9% of U.S. butchers and meat cutters required on-the-job training in 2025.[41]
Employee Engagement in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Globally, 21% of employees were engaged in 2025, providing an economy-wide benchmark relevant where food-and-beverage-specific engagement data are limited.[54]
- Among U.S. and Canadian frontline employees surveyed in 2024, 52% worked in foodservice, in a sample of 46,250 employees used to assess workplace engagement.[55]
- Food-service employees recorded 72.6% engagement in 2026, up 9.1 percentage points from the prior measurement.[56]
- Food-and-beverage organizations scored 7.91 out of 10 for employee engagement in the latest 2026 benchmark dataset.[57]
DEI in the meat packing industry
- 25.1% of U.S. frontline meatpacking workers lived in households with limited English proficiency in 2021.[58]
- 34.9% of workers across U.S. animal slaughtering and processing occupations were Hispanic in 2021.[58]
- 68.6% of U.S. hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers in meatpacking were people of color in 2021.[58]
08 Statistics
Customer & Sales
Channel economics show that local procurement and repeat experience can matter, with 54 meat-purchasing trips per year for the U.S. average in 2024. Direct-to-consumer complaint handling remains a measurable friction point.
Customer experience in the meat packing industry
- $66.89 was the average transaction value for first-time customers in a 2018 Minnesota meat-processor survey.[59]
- 35% of first-time customers were willing to travel 50 or more miles to a meat processor in Minnesota in 2018.[59]
- 9.4 out of 10 was the average customer rating for meat variety in a 2018 Minnesota meat-processor survey.[59]
- $78.61 was the average transaction value among customers in a 2018 Minnesota meat-processor survey.[59]
- 54 meat-purchasing trips per year was the U.S. average in 2024.[38]
Customer retention in the meat packing industry
- Over 60% of surveyed Kansas consumers had purchased business-to-consumer beef fewer than five times in 2023.[60]
- 25% of Kansas beef-producer customers with complaints remained unsatisfied after the producer attempted resolution.[60]
- 73% of surveyed Kansas consumers said more than 75% of their beef purchases were local in a 2023 business-to-consumer beef study.[60]
- 75% of Kansas beef producers who attempted to resolve customer problems said the resolution satisfied the customer.[60]
- 7% of Minnesota meat-processor customers were in their first year with the processor in 2018.[59]
Customer acquisition in the meat packing industry
- 65% of all Minnesota meat-processor customers learned about their processor through recommendations from family or friends in 2018.[59]
- 65.8% of Kansas direct-to-consumer beef producers used social media advertising in 2023.[60]
- 62% more meat by dollar value was sold by livestock farmers with an e-commerce store than by those without one in a 2022 survey.[61]
- 71% of first-time Minnesota meat-processor customers learned about the processor through recommendations from family or friends in 2018.[59]
- 5% of Minnesota meat-processor customers learned about their processor through a newspaper advertisement in 2018.[59]
Customer loyalty in the meat packing industry
- 9.9 out of 10 was the average likelihood that Minnesota meat-processor customers would recommend their processor to someone they knew in 2018.[59]
- 97.3% of Kansas beef producers said increased direct-to-consumer sales would be desirable in 2023.[60]
- 62% of Minnesota meat-processor customers had used the same processor for at least 10 years in 2018.[59]
- 20% of online meat shoppers used meal-kit delivery services in the United States.[62]
- 66% of meat consumers using retailer pickup or delivery were very or extremely satisfied with the experience, supporting repeat omnichannel purchasing.[62]
Lead generation in the meat packing industry
- 38.9% of Kansas direct-to-consumer beef producers reported customer trouble connected with a sale in 2023, indicating a measurable lead-to-sale management challenge.[60]
- 42.6% of Kansas beef producers reporting customer complaints said the issue involved product yield or take-home weight in 2023.[60]
- 62% of surveyed niche meat producers had an e-commerce store in 2022, providing a digital customer-capture channel.[61]
- 66.7% of Kansas consumers reporting low take-home weights had not requested organ meat and had requested boneless products in 2023.[60]
- 49.8% of Kansas beef producers cited product price or extra charges as a reason for customer complaints in 2023.[60]
09 Statistics
Marketing & Brand
Sales concentration shows the role of top sellers and consumer behavior, with 56% of unit sales coming from the top 10 sellers in 2024. Shoppers also show interest in recipe-led and online discovery.
Marketing in the meat packing industry
- 4.8% was the above-average sales growth for meat products carrying production claims in U.S. stores in 2019.[63]
- 43% of U.S. consumers cut back on restaurant meals in 2023, creating additional demand for at-home meat occasions.[63]
- 56% of unit sales in the U.S. meat department came from the top 10 sellers in 2024.[63]
- 87% of U.S. home-prepared dinners containing meat or poultry were reported in 2023, supporting recipe-led merchandising and promotion.[63]
- 58% of U.S. consumers had tried-and-true meat or poultry favorites but were interested in exploring more options in 2024.[63]
Digital marketing in the meat packing industry
- 61% of direct-to-consumer meat businesses surveyed used email marketing in 2022.[61]
- 58% of U.S. meat shoppers searched online by meat type for preparation information in 2021.[63]
- 38% of U.S. Boomers bought the same meat or poultry items online as in stores in 2021.[63]
- 48% of U.S. meat shoppers searched online by cooking method for preparation information in 2021.[63]
- 9% of U.S. Gen Z meat shoppers used ChatGPT for recipe inspiration in 2023.[63]
Branding in the meat packing industry
Influencer Marketing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 49% of U.S. millennial food and beverage shoppers said they purchased from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand in the previous year, according to a 2025 survey.[65]
- 82% of U.S. Gen Z food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a prepackaged product based on an online influencer’s recommendation in the previous year, according to a June 2025 survey.[65]
- 47.6% of TikTok videos featuring food products from top influencers included a branded product, based on an analysis of 1,360 videos published in 2025.[66]
- 33% of U.S. food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a product from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand such as Prime or Feastables in the previous year, in 2025.[65]
- 69.3% of TikTok videos featuring branded food or beverage products had no brand-relationship disclosure, based on an analysis of 648 videos published in 2025.[66]
10 Statistics
Operations & Execution
Throughput, safety, and recalls are tracked together; FSIS recorded 46 meat and poultry recalls in 2024 and more than 8 million pounds were recalled. Productivity is quantified with 2.4% 2024 labor productivity for U.S. animal slaughtering and processing.
Process optimization in the meat packing industry
- 2.4% was the 2024 increase in labor productivity for U.S. animal slaughtering and processing.[41]
- 4 million pounds per week was the production capacity of Tyson Foods’ Danville, Virginia, fully cooked chicken plant.[2]
- $400 million was Tyson Foods’ estimated potential annual saving from implementing chicken deboning automation across its poultry plants.[2]
- 9.3% was the 2022 increase in total factor productivity for U.S. animal slaughtering and processing.[41]
- 1.1% was the 2023 increase in total factor productivity for U.S. animal slaughtering and processing.[41]
Operational efficiency in the meat packing industry
- 13.8 million chickens per day was JBS’s aggregate global poultry-processing capacity at December 31, 2024.[30]
- 5.8 cases per 100 full-time workers was the 2024 total recordable injury-and-illness incidence rate for U.S. meat processed from carcasses.[41]
- 42 million head per week was Tyson Foods’ 2024 chicken-processing capacity across 169 domestic chicken facilities.[67]
- 421,000 head per week was Tyson Foods’ 2024 pork-processing capacity across six domestic pork facilities.[67]
- 74 million pounds per week was Tyson Foods’ 2024 prepared-foods capacity across 37 domestic facilities.[67]
Quality management in the meat packing industry
- 12 recalls involving multiple species were recorded by FSIS in 2024.[68]
- More than 8 million pounds of meat and poultry products were recalled by FSIS in 2024.[68]
- 46 meat and poultry recalls were recorded by FSIS in 2024.[68]
- 76 FSIS consumer-complaint investigations resulted in action in 2024, including retraining, HACCP updates, enforcement or product control.[68]
- 8 beef recalls were recorded by FSIS in 2024.[68]
Supply chain in the meat packing industry
- 12 domestic beef facilities were operated by Tyson Foods in fiscal 2024.[67]
- 148.6 thousand employees were recorded in U.S. non-poultry animal slaughtering in January 2024.[41]
- 180 countries across six continents were reached by JBS through its global customer network at December 31, 2024.[30]
- 124.428 million pounds of boneless beef were held in Middle Atlantic cold storage on January 31, 2024.[69]
- 248.1 thousand employees were recorded in U.S. poultry processing in January 2024.[41]
Outsourcing / Offshoring in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 75% used at least some co-manufacturing resources in 2023.[70]
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 52% planned to expand their international footprint in 2023, including North America, EMEA and APAC expansion.[71]
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 55% outsourced more manufacturing in 2023 than three years earlier, according to a survey of 287 industry leaders.[70]
- Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 36% used co-manufacturers for finished-product manufacturing in 2023.[70]
- Among United States and European food-services and facility-management buyers, 91% expected outsourcing budgets to increase over the five years following 2024.[72]
11 Statistics
Finance & Pricing
Input costs and margin compression show up in financial line items and pricing updates, including Tyson’s 2025 cost of sales at 93.5% of sales. Pricing is also monitored through fourth-quarter and USDA reported direct-to-consumer price points.
Pricing strategy in the meat packing industry
- $15.5 billion was Smithfield Foods’ fiscal 2025 net sales after expanding value-added offerings in retail, pet food and pharmaceutical ingredients.[30]
- 11.7% was JBS’s 2025 net-sales growth compared with 2024, indicating expansion in its global protein pricing and channel mix.[30]
- $86.184 billion was JBS’s 2025 net sales across its global protein portfolio, including fresh, frozen, value-added and branded products.[30]
- 4.7% was Tyson Foods’ fourth-quarter 2025 Prepared Foods price increase versus the prior year.[30]
- $1.795 billion of Tyson Foods’ 2025 sales increase came from higher average selling prices, driven by Beef, Pork and Prepared Foods.[30]
Cost reduction in the meat packing industry
- $6.759 billion was Smithfield Foods’ fiscal 2024 Packaged Meats cost of sales.[30]
- $49.682 billion was Tyson Foods’ 2024 cost of sales, equal to 93.2% of sales.[30]
- $50.879 billion was Tyson Foods’ 2025 cost of sales, equal to 93.5% of sales.[30]
- $106 million was Smithfield Foods’ fiscal 2024 Fresh Pork capital expenditure.[30]
- $1.840 billion was Tyson Foods’ approximate 2025 increase in Beef cattle costs, the largest identified input-cost pressure.[30]
Profitability in the meat packing industry
- $1.098 billion was Tyson Foods’ fiscal 2025 operating income.[30]
- $1.336 billion was Smithfield Foods’ fiscal 2025 adjusted operating profit.[30]
- $507 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal 2025 net income.[30]
- 17.4% was JBS’s 2025 return on invested capital, measured on a last-twelve-month basis.[30]
- $6.831 billion was JBS’s 2025 adjusted EBITDA under IFRS.[30]
Financial planning in the meat packing industry
- $350 million was Smithfield Foods’ fiscal 2024 capital expenditure planned across its operating segments.[30]
- $66 million was Smithfield Foods’ fiscal 2024 net interest expense.[30]
- $1.25 per share was Smithfield Foods’ announced dividend for 2026.[30]
- 2.6x was Tyson Foods’ fiscal 2024 net-debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA ratio.[30]
- $8.637 billion was the market value of Hormel Foods’ voting and nonvoting common stock held by non-affiliates on April 27, 2025.[30]
12 Statistics
Product & Service
Product and packaging changes are tracked through launch counts, including 13,428 meat and meat-product launches in the U.S. from January 2017 through July 2022. Safety and recall volume remain operational signals, including 8 million pounds or more recalled in a fiscal-year reporting period.
Product development in the meat packing industry
- 3,967 meat and meat-product launches in the United States from 2017 through July 2022 involved new packaging.[73]
- 4,674 meat and meat-product launches in the United States from 2017 through July 2022 carried a low, no, or reduced allergen claim.[73]
- 2,908 meat and meat-product launches in the United States from 2017 through July 2022 used flexible packaging.[73]
- 13,428 meat and meat-product launches occurred in the United States from January 2017 through July 2022.[73]
- 4,340 meat and meat-product launches in the United States from 2017 through July 2022 carried a no-additives or no-preservatives claim.[73]
Product lifecycle in the meat packing industry
- 101 hospitalizations were represented by three foodborne-illness investigations possibly associated with FSIS-regulated products.[68]
- 8 million pounds or more of meat and poultry products were recalled in the FSIS fiscal-year reporting period.[68]
- 54 meat-shopping trips were made by the average American in 2024, according to Circana data reported by the Meat Institute.[38]
- $16.12 was the average American expenditure on meat per shopping trip in 2024.[38]
- 40 illness clusters potentially associated with FSIS-regulated meat and poultry products were monitored during the FSIS fiscal year.[68]
After-sales in the meat packing industry
- 75% of Kansas consumers whose direct-to-consumer beef producer attempted a resolution said they were satisfied with the response.[74]
- 57% of consumers were interested in adding all recipe ingredients to a shopping list or online cart with one click in 2022.[63]
- 35% of U.S. consumers had bought at least some meat or poultry online in 2022.[63]
- 79% of Gen Z consumers bought the same meat and poultry items online as in stores in 2022.[63]
- 36% of consumers said employee training could help overcome hesitation about buying meat online in 2022.[63]
Value proposition in the meat packing industry
- 67% of U.S. consumers considered U.S.-raised or locally grown meat and seafood claims valuable in 2024.[75]
- $104.6 billion in U.S. meat sales was recorded in 2024, according to the Power of Meat report.[38]
- 60% of U.S. consumers considered environmental and sustainability claims valuable for meat and seafood in 2024.[75]
- 90% of Americans said obtaining enough protein was very or somewhat important in 2024.[38]
- 64% of U.S. consumers considered free-from claims valuable for meat and seafood in 2024.[75]
13 Statistics
Sustainability & Ethics
Emissions and energy accounting appear alongside facility certifications, including JBS Scope 2 energy use of 6,058,053 MWh in 2024. Meat Institute targets also include workplace-injury reduction of 50% by 2030.
Sustainability in the meat packing industry
- 6,058,053 MWh of Scope 2 energy was consumed by JBS globally in 2024.[76]
- 84 companies reported data in the Meat Institute’s 2024 Protein PACT continuous-improvement report.[38]
- 17,222,940 MWh of Scope 1 energy was consumed by JBS globally in 2024.[76]
- 1.02 MWh per metric ton of finished product was JBS’s global energy-use intensity in 2024.[76]
- 12 JBS facilities used biogas as a renewable energy source by 2021.[77]
ESG in the meat packing industry
- 78.9% of JBS global facilities were certified under Global Food Safety Initiative schemes in 2025.[78]
- 95% of executive-board members reported ESG-related data to Protein PACT in 2024.[38]
- 24.4% was JBS’s reported reduction in Scope 2 emissions intensity against its sustainability-linked-financing baseline in 2025.[78]
- 18.8% was JBS’s reported reduction in Scope 1 emissions intensity against its sustainability-linked-financing baseline in 2025.[78]
- 55% of Meat Institute member companies with at least 200 employees submitted Protein PACT data in 2024.[38]
Ethics in the meat packing industry
- 78.9% of JBS facilities held Global Food Safety Initiative certification in 2025.[78]
- 50% is the additional workplace-injury reduction targeted by Meat Institute packers and processors by 2030 from a 2019 baseline.[38]
- 100% of Meat Institute members handling animals are targeted to meet third-party transport and handling audit requirements by 2025.[38]
- 83% of Meat Institute companies with more than 2,000 employees submitted Protein PACT data in 2024.[79]
- 100% of executive-board officers submitted data, committed to submit data, or sponsored Protein PACT in 2024.[38]
CSR in the meat packing industry
- $100,000 was donated by Smithfield to fund a mobile food retail market in southeastern North Carolina.[38]
- 37% of consumers reported bulk-buying protein and freezing portions in Cargill’s 2024 research.[80]
- 61% of consumers increased their protein intake in 2024, according to Cargill’s meat-market research.[80]
- 76% of reporting meat companies donated to food banks or other charities in 2024.[38]
- 200 million servings of protein was Smithfield’s global Helping Hungry Homes donation target for 2025.[38]
Circular economy in the meat packing industry
- 25.8% was JBS’s reduction in operational waste sent to landfill between 2024 and 2025.[78]
- 9.2% was JBS’s increase in recycling of operational waste between 2024 and 2025.[78]
- 1.02 MWh per metric ton was JBS’s finished-product energy intensity in 2024.[76]
- 7 JBS facilities had installed solar systems by 2021.[77]
- 12 JBS facilities used biogas as renewable energy by 2021.[77]
Carbon footprint in the meat packing industry
- 240.66 million tonnes CO2e were estimated for JBS’s total greenhouse-gas emissions in 2023.[81]
- 29.78 million tonnes CO2e were estimated for China Mengniu Dairy’s total greenhouse-gas emissions in 2023.[81]
- 30.14 million tonnes CO2e were estimated for Amul’s total greenhouse-gas emissions in 2023.[81]
- 24.21 million tonnes CO2e were estimated for WH Group’s total greenhouse-gas emissions in 2023.[81]
- 40.23 million tonnes CO2e were estimated for Lactalis’s total greenhouse-gas emissions in 2023.[81]
14 Statistics
Risk, Compliance & Legal
Competition and cyber risk are prominent in compliance reporting, with more than 70% of global respondents reporting cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $100,000 in 2024. USDA FSIS recall and enforcement counts provide enforcement context.
Compliance in the meat packing industry
- 239 food-safety recalls and public-health alerts were issued from 2022 through May 2025 by USDA FSIS for U.S. meat, poultry and egg products.[82]
- 65 recalls involving 4,005,384 pounds of meat and poultry products were recorded by USDA FSIS in 2023 in the United States.[83]
- 46 recalls involving 4,845,599 pounds of meat, poultry and egg products were recorded by USDA FSIS in 2022 in the United States.[68]
- 392 OSHA violations and $1.5 million in proposed penalties were recorded for U.S. meat and meat-product merchant wholesalers during the five years ending October 26, 2026.[84]
- 260 suspension actions were initiated at meat and poultry plants from fiscal years 2019 through 2024 because of insanitary conditions in the United States.[85]
Risk Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 84% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations said managing environmental, social and governance risks would be a priority over the next two years in 2026.[86]
- 45% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations cited food safety and health as a top risk in 2026.[86]
- 44% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations were concerned about supply-chain vulnerabilities in 2026.[86]
- 62% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations felt in control of their key risks in 2026, down from 75% in 2024.[86]
Cybersecurity in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- More than 70% of global food and beverage respondents reported cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $100,000 in 2024.[87]
- 36% of global food and beverage respondents said their organisations paid at least $1 million in ransomware demands in 2024.[87]
- Nearly 30% of global food and beverage respondents reported cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $1 million in 2024.[87]
- 50% of global food and beverage respondents reported greater confidence in their organisations’ ability to withstand cyberattacks than 12 months earlier in 2024.[87]
- 41% of global food and beverage respondents identified legal fees as a cyberattack-related cost in 2024.[87]
Data Privacy in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 45% of European food-data consumers surveyed across five countries in 2024 were classified as optimists who were open to data sharing.[14]
- 34.6% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 were willing to share their email address, down from 39.8% in 2024.[88]
- 21.0% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 were willing to share their mobile number, down from 24.2% in 2024.[88]
- 32.6% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 were willing to share their name, down from 40.0% in 2024.[88]
- 33.1% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 said they were unwilling to share any personal data, up from 32.0% in 2024.[88]
Crisis Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 59% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 were hesitant to purchase the same food product or brand again after a recall.[89]
- 47% of global food and beverage companies reviewed business continuity plans every six months in 2024.[90]
- 31% of global food and beverage companies reviewed business continuity plans quarterly in 2024.[90]
- 75% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 had recently heard about a food recall, indicating broad crisis-information reach.[91]
- More than 60% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 first heard about a recent food recall through traditional or social media.[91]
Governance in the meat packing industry
- 63% of WH Group’s traceable palm-oil procurement volume was RSPO-certified in 2024.[92]
- 11 directors served on JBS’s board at the end of 2024, including 7 independent directors, representing a majority of the board.[30]
- 6 standing or advisory committees supported JBS’s board governance structure at the end of 2024, covering audit, risk, governance, related parties, sustainability and diversity matters.[30]
- 100% of quality-related employee training was covered in WH Group operations in China, Romania and Slovakia in 2024.[92]
- 100% of Smithfield Foods’ U.S. operations had zero product recalls in each of 2023, 2024 and 2025, according to the company’s 2025 sustainability report.[93]
15 Statistics
Globalization & Expansion
Global reach is reflected in workforce and customer networks; JBS reported 280,000+ global team members in 2024 and served customers in 180 countries at December 31, 2024. Revenue and export shares quantify the cross-border mix.
Globalization in the meat packing industry
- $77.18 billion was JBS's 2024 net revenue, including $19.996 billion in export sales, according to its annual report.[94]
- 49% of JBS's 2024 revenue was destined for the United States.[30]
- 370.69 million tonnes was global meat production forecast for 2024.[95]
- 45.353 million hogs were processed by WH Group in 2024 across China, North America and Europe.[96]
- 280,000+ people comprised JBS's global workforce in 2024.[97]
Cultural adaptation in the meat packing industry
- £19.46 was the average weekly meat spend reported by UK shoppers overall in 2024.[98]
- $200 billion in kosher-certified food products was reported as annual sales in the KVH market summary.[99]
- 15 million active consumers were reported for the kosher food market in the KVH market summary.[99]
- £49.20 was the average weekly meat spend reported by halal shoppers in the United Kingdom in 2024.[98]
- 1.8 billion Muslims formed the estimated global consumer base relevant to halal meat markets, according to Minnesota Extension.[100]
Supplier management in the meat packing industry
- 38% of indirect suppliers to audited Brazilian slaughterhouses were verifiably compliant with environmental requirements in the cited preliminary audit results.[43]
- 13.7 million chickens was JBS's approximate aggregate daily poultry-processing capacity in 2024.[30]
- 603,000 tonnes was Indonesia's domestic ruminant production in the cited halal traceability dataset.[101]
- 100% of cattle slaughtered under a third-party animal-welfare audit is the U.S. beef sustainability framework's stated packer goal.[102]
- 547 ruminant slaughterhouses were identified in the Indonesian halal traceability study.[101]
Stakeholder management in the meat packing industry
- $20.479 billion was Tyson Foods' fiscal-2024 beef-segment sales.[103]
- $9.851 billion was Tyson Foods' fiscal-2024 prepared-foods sales.[103]
- 9.3% was JBS's adjusted EBITDA margin in 2024.[97]
- 280,000+ global team members were reported by JBS for 2024.[97]
- $7.2 billion was JBS's adjusted EBITDA in 2024.[97]
Distribution channels in the meat packing industry
- $3.804 billion was WH Group's 2024 pork revenue in China.[96]
- $5.404 billion was WH Group's 2024 pork revenue in North America.[96]
- 59% of direct-to-consumer meat sellers used Instagram in 2023, up from 49% in 2022.[61]
- $550.7 billion was U.S. wholesale sales to retail food stores in 2022.[104]
- 300,000+ customers in approximately 190 countries were served by JBS in 2024.[30]
16 Statistics
Regional markets
Regional clustering remains concrete through job counts and output, including $1.3 billion total output for Chicago’s livestock-processing cluster in 2017. The data also records scale in facility footprints such as a 15,000-square-foot operation.
The meat packing industry in Chicago
- 25 employees worked at Northwest Meat’s Chicago wholesale meat fabrication and distribution operation in 2024, serving foodservice customers from a 15,000-square-foot facility.[105]
- 9,000 jobs were in Chicago’s livestock-processing cluster in 2017, covering establishments that process livestock meat and wholesale livestock products.[106]
- 72% of workers in Chicago’s livestock-processing cluster were non-white in 2017.[106]
- $1.3 billion was the total output of Chicago’s livestock-processing cluster in 2017.[106]
Key questions about the meat packing industry
How large is U.S. meat packing production in 2025 and what is forecast for 2026?
What does the 2026 outlook say about year-over-year growth?
Which companies lead the meat packing industry?
Where is technology shifting throughput and operations in meat packing?
How concentrated is purchasing and what does that imply for market structure?
What compliance and competition actions are shaping 2026 scrutiny?
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Meat Packing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/meat-packing-industry-statistics
Samuel Norberg. "Meat Packing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/meat-packing-industry-statistics.
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Meat Packing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/meat-packing-industry-statistics.
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Social media in the meat packing industry