Given bacon’s enduring status as the rockstar of proteins, Smithfield Culinary marked International Bacon Day on Aug. 31 by unveiling insights into Americans' bacon preferences.

Among their findings:

• 71% of diners say that “everything tastes better with bacon”
• 57% of diners said they would eat bacon every day if they could
• 69% of diners consider bacon a side dish that pairs well with other food
• 56% of diners said bacon is a key ingredient in other dishes.

According to Datassential's 2024 The World of Bacon Report, nearly 69% of menus offer bacon. The report suggests foodservice operators can maximize their offerings by providing diners with numerous opportunities to customize their bacon, experiment with it in creative ways and even serve it as a standalone dish.

“Bacon has really just kind of taken over the world,” said Chef Michael Hogan, a seven-time competitor in the World Food Championships in the bacon category, including a fourth-place finish at the 2023 competition in Dallas.

A presenter at the Bacon Me Crazy Demo session during the 2024 American Association of Meat Processors & Suppliers’ Exhibition in Omaha, Neb., Hogan said, "You can take bacon and add any kind of seasoning and flavor to it and you can elevate it. There’s not end to it. It’s just a blank canvas.”

That means bacon isn’t just for breakfast anymore, he said, even incorporating bacon into desserts such as bacon carrot cake and bacon bon-bons.

“You see a lot of trends start at foodservice before they hit retail,” said Emma Pierce, brand manager at Daily’s Premium Meats. “Chefs and people trained in the culinary arts have built their knowledge base for what flavors and ingredients pair well with what and can test the boundaries on a new concept or trend.” 

Pierce said Daily’s got its start in foodservice and established a reputation among chefs for supplying premium bacon in the foodservice industry and is now bringing that same quality to retailers and consumers at home.

 “The menu adoption cycle is a great example of that, where you see high-end restaurants or local restaurants adopt flavor trends or ingredients first, and as it gains traction, that trend will get picked up by larger restaurant chains as well as niche, then larger retail chains, “ she said.  

Retail prices are trending up

July 2024 brought a reversal for bacon, which experienced price increases after enduring deflation throughout much of 2023 and early 2024, according to Circana retail sales analysis.

Bacon prices averaged $6.26 per pound in July 2024, up 11.8% compared with July 2023 bacon prices. For the 52-week period July 2023 through July 2024, bacon prices averaged $6.15, an increase of 2%, according to Circana.

Processed meat sales for July 2024 totaled $2.5 billion (up 4% in dollar sales and up 2.5% in pounds sold compared with year-ago prices). Bacon accounted for $538 million of July 2024 processed meat sales, with double-digit dollar sales growth (up 10.2%), while pounds sold fell by -1.5%.

“Value has a big impact on store choice, and ultimately a retailer’s bottom line, with meat quality and appearance being top factors for meat purchasing decisions,” Pierce said. “We know younger consumers are looking for easy, memorable and bold flavors.”

Aiming to address that consumer preference, Daily’s Premium Meats recently rolled out Hot Honey and Spicy Maple seasoned bacon, which were piloted in the Canadian market and are now launching in the US, Pierce said.

“We are seeing a lot of bacon products that are sticking to maple and hickory smoke,” she said. “However, we are also seeing bacon being flavored with alternative sugar sources that can impart subtle differences in taste and caramelization when cooked, as well as, incorporating a plethora of unique smoked and charred flavors that are not traditionally seen with bacon.”

Pierce said there’s a trending consumer preference for sweet and spicy flavor profiles.

“Our teams work hard to monitor, track and deliver flavors that will resonate with consumers,” she said. “We identified hot and sweet flavors trending across all parts of the grocery store, and knew we wanted to tap into that consumer desire.” 

She added that Daily’s is evaluating how the brand can tap into other breakfast categories, with new products in development. 

On the packaging front, Pierce said Daily’s offers stack packs and L-boards, with stack packs available in 24- and 40 –ounce packages, designed to give a butcher-quality experience to thick-cut bacon without sacrificing case-ready convenience. Daily’s L-boards bring a refreshed approach to an industry staple, she said.

“We've recently evolved our packaging design with bolder colors, easier to read labeling and more prominent brand and flavor labeling so that our consumers know exactly what the product is at a quick glance,” she said. “As convenience continues to drive shopping habits, we’re exploring other packaging options, including resealable packaging.”