New research by Pre® Brands shows 85% of consumers favor real-food protein sources, with many associating beef with premium nutrition and flavor.
CHICAGO, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At a moment when protein has never been more central to how Americans eat, shop, and think about their health, a new national survey* commissioned by Pre® Brands, one of the nation's leading providers of grass-fed and grass-finished premium lean beef proteins, finds that consumers are applying an increasingly discerning standard to the protein they choose. Real, whole-food sources are strongly preferred over processed alternatives, and the attributes consumers use to define premium protein — taste, quality, and real-food credentials — align closely with beef's strongest consumer perceptions.
What's happening
Why it matters
For industry operators, this is another data point in the structural change reshaping the cooking-equipment sector. Watch for follow-on moves from competitors and reactions from key channel partners in the coming quarters.
New research by Pre® Brands shows 85% of consumers favor real-food protein sources, with many associating beef with premium nutrition and flavor.
CHICAGO, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At a moment when protein has never been more central to how Americans eat, shop, and think about their health, a new national survey* commissioned by Pre® Brands, one of the nation's leading providers of grass-fed and grass-finished premium lean beef proteins, finds that consumers are applying an increasingly discerning standard to the protein they choose. Real, whole-food sources are strongly preferred over processed alternatives, and the attributes consumers use to define premium protein — taste, quality, and real-food credentials — align closely with beef's strongest consumer perceptions.
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Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
