Welcome to your essential weekly update on the meat and seafood market! This space is dedicated to providing chefs with timely insights into market trends, helping you navigate the ever-changing landscape of food costs and availability. Stay informed and ahead of the curve to expertly plan your menus and maintain your restaurant’s competitive edge.
Meat & Seafood Market Report
MEAT MARKET UPDATE
UPDATED July 16, 2026
Quick Takeaways for the Kitchen
Beef: Premium beef demand remains strong, making steaks and burgers key traffic drivers through the rest of summer.
Pork: Barbecue favorites like ribs, pulled pork, bacon, and sausage should continue seeing solid seasonal demand.
Chicken: Chicken remains the most versatile menu protein, with strong movement across wings, sandwiches, salads, and tenders.
Pork: Barbecue favorites like ribs, pulled pork, bacon, and sausage should continue seeing solid seasonal demand.
Chicken: Chicken remains the most versatile menu protein, with strong movement across wings, sandwiches, salads, and tenders.
Bottom Line: Beef drives premium purchases, pork owns summer barbecue, and chicken continues to be the dependable menu workhorse.
Beef Market:
Beef continues to be the protein market with the tightest supply picture heading into late July and early August. National cattle inventories remain historically low, and industry reports indicate herd rebuilding is still moving very slowly, keeping beef availability snug across many cuts. At the same time, summer grilling demand remains supportive, especially for steaks, burgers, and premium grilling items as consumers continue outdoor dining occasions. Looking ahead 3–4 weeks, expect beef demand to stay solid through the heart of the summer season, though some operators may see customers trading toward more value-focused menu items as family budgets remain under pressure. Overall, beef should remain a dependable traffic driver on menus, but operators will want to maximize yields and feature versatile cuts where possible.
Pork Market:
Pork is entering one of its strongest seasonal demand windows of the year. Summer cookouts, backyard barbecues, and casual dining continue to support ribs, butts, sausage, and bacon demand. Industry reports show pork production remains ample, with heavier hog weights helping maintain supply availability. As July progresses and we move toward August, demand typically shifts somewhat from the peak Independence Day grilling surge into steady restaurant and foodservice consumption. Bacon remains a reliable menu favorite, while ribs and barbecue-focused items should continue moving well. Ham demand is also beginning to build as processors look ahead to future seasonal programs. Overall, kitchens should find pork remains one of the most flexible proteins for promotions, sandwiches, barbecue features, and value-forward menu offerings over the next several weeks.
Chicken Market:
Chicken continues to benefit from strong consumer demand across virtually every foodservice segment. Industry supply indicators show birds, eggs, and placements running ahead of last year, supporting a generally balanced supply outlook through the remainder of the summer. Wings are seeing healthy seasonal interest thanks to sports viewing, social gatherings, and casual dining traffic, while breast meat demand remains steady from sandwiches, wraps, and salad applications. Over the next 3–4 weeks, expect chicken to remain a menu workhorse as operators lean on its versatility and broad consumer appeal. August back-to-school activity should also help support quick-service and family dining traffic. Chicken remains one of the easiest proteins to feature in limited-time offers because it works well across lunch, dinner, and grab-and-go occasions.
Looking for specific information on the meat market? Contact our team today.
SEAFOOD MARKET UPDATE
Scallops: The scallop market is on the rise nationwide, but we’re working with our suppliers to keep pricing competitive.
Check out our seasonality chart below and read more about seafood seasonality here.
