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Consumer trends and versatility offer lamb opportunities

Consumer research presented during an AMC 2026 workshop finds younger generations are helping drive growth in lamb retail sales.

By Fred Wilkinson, Chief Editor, The National Provisioner

AMC 2026 lamb session — Fred Wilkinson

Victoria Fitzgerald, senior manager-merchandising for Whole Foods Market Inc., Sean Wheaton, vice president of culinary for Service Cuisine Solutions, and session moderator Michael Uetz of Midan Marketing discuss opportunities for lamb during the AMC 2026 educational session “Lamb from Carcass to Case: Trends, Cuts and Consumer Connection.”

OXON HILL, Md. — Lamb is a premium yet underutilized protein with growing consumer demand.

Presenters emphasized that message during the AMC 2026 educational session “Lamb from Carcass to Case: Trends, Cuts and Consumer Connection,” which highlighted lamb marketing opportunities and was hosted by the American Lamb Board.

Midan Marketing consumer research presented during the session finds younger generations are helping drive growth in lamb retail sales, with panelists also noting the increasing popularity of value cuts including ground lamb and stew meat.

According to Power of Meat report data analysis rolled out during AMC 2026, sales of lamb in the US were just under $1 billion in 2025, totaling $959 million. Dollar sales rose 7.4%, while pounds sold slipped -0.6%.

Presenter Sean Wheaton, vice president of culinary for Service Cuisine Solutions, noted opportunities for secondary cuts such as lamb shoulder and lamb shanks along with value-added lamb products, including healthy convenience foods to tap lamb into the protein snacking trend.

“Lamb is still a bit of an outlier, unfortunately,” Wheaton said, with consumers seeing it as expensive and a special occasion thing. “But especially in today’s market, lamb is super competitive, especially when you’re looking at secondary cuts.”

Wheaton said lamb is also an natural alternative to upgrade strews by using lamb chunks in place of beef.

Presenter Victoria Fitzgerald, senior manager-merchandising for Whole Foods Market Inc., said the growing popularity of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors is a natural fit for lamb innovation and growth, adding that proper messaging and merchandising are crucial to driving new lamb sales. A majority of the lamb Whole Foods sells includes a 100% grass-fed label claim, she said, noting growth for organic product as well.

Midan Marketing lamb market research presented during the session shows 45% of respondents reported they would pay more for meat/lamb labeled "grass-fed/grass-finished."

"All-around claims — that's super important for everybody, whether it's on the menu, on the case or on the retail package. Everyone wants to know where their food is coming from," Wheaton said.

Midan research finds that heavy lamb users at home were more likely to be: