Meat is increasingly ubiquitous. Once confined to the center of the plate, beef, pork, chicken, turkey and other proteins are emerging as popular snacks, appetizers and side dishes.
The dispersion results from such factors as a double-digit rise in meat prices — which has many consumers searching for less expensive ways to keep protein in their diets — and shopper interest in more convenient eating. Helping to fuel the movement is the rollout of new, alternative meat offerings from product vendors, retailers and foodservice operators.