by fred wilkinson

Well, it’s October once again, when The National Provisioner features our comprehensive State of the Industry Report. As always, for this year’s report we take a look at a broad spectrum of meat and poultry industry sectors, along with relevant developments in food safety, packaging and sustainability that are shaping the way protein providers conduct their business.

It should come as no surprise that – like most other sectors of the economy – meat and poultry businesses find themselves dealing with uncertainty and even a little chaos as we approach the home stretch of 2025. Inflation is squeezing everyone, businesses and consumers alike, making every purchase decision fraught with a degree of contemplation – and even anxiety at times.

But despite the costs and considerations of conducting business, the protein sector is enjoying record sales. In fact, according to Circana retail sales data analysis, ground beef and chicken breast are enjoying some of the strongest sales among the tens of thousands of food purchase options consumers enjoy at retail.

Although some things remain certain as we head toward 2026 – such as a continued tight beef supply – overall, plan for continuing uncertainty in financial, regulatory and trade developments.

www.provisoneronline.com   |  october 2025