Not too long ago, consumer trends were leaning toward health and wellness and plant-based alternatives. But with the arrival of the coronavirus (COVID-19), consumers shifted their focus to safety, individually wrapped packages, value-added family bundles and comfort foods. Now, it’s hard to imagine eating any other way.

Of all the changes taking place in the meat and poultry industries now, perhaps the biggest change is something that’s undetectable to the consumer.

The simple act of buying food at a restaurant or a grocery store has never been more challenging, thanks to an overload of online data, news reports and opinions widely available to every consumer.