Pork Among Top Items on the Increase

April 5, 2001

Pork is an ingredient in several of the menu items that have increased the most during the past two years, according to the newest quarterly newsletter of the Chain Account Menu Survey, Inc., based in Wheaton, IL. Pork is a key part of three of the top five fastest-growing meal parts in food service.

According to the CAMS-baseTM data reported from A Chain Account Menu Survey ReportTM Database, fast-growing items that include pork are pizza, breakfast and pork entrees. The newsletter reports that pizza menu items grew 57%, breakfast items grew 16% and pork entrees grew 14% during the past two years. Most pizza meat toppings and most breakfast meats are made from pork.

Only one item grew faster: smoothies/freezes, with 100% growth. Another item included in the top five fastest-growing meal parts in foodservice was the kid's menu, with 26% growth.

The Chain Account Menu Survey Inc. is a quarterly newsletter that reports food trends and menu ideas from the CAMS-base, which includes the top 200 chain stores. The stores included are updated every six months.

This research reflects data collected in pork industry research, such as a checkoff-funded survey that showed new pork items on chain menus grew from 187 items in 1996 to 256 items in 1998. Also, a checkoff-funded consumer study showed 40% of respondents would like to see more pork on restaurant menus. A three-year study showed growth in pork usage was twice the rate of growth of total foodservice.