The National Pork Board’s Retail Advisory Committee (RAC) meetings offer a direct, industry-specific tool for connecting retail community leaders with important information about pork and NPB’s marketing efforts.  

Why RAC? 

Retailers represent an essential audience for the pork industry; we must work through them to reach our consumers. While RAC started more than 25 years ago, the Spring 2025 meeting had a renewed feeling of excitement and urgency as we shared more about Taste What Pork Can Do™ with retailers across geographies, size, structure and more.  

But the discussion flowed both ways. While we shared the latest campaign news, we also heard from retailers the reasons they believe this campaign will make an impact. Their excitement and interest represent another element that makes this a transformational moment for the pork industry.  

A Campaign Built with Retailers in Mind 

Because of the valuable role retailers hold in the supply chain, NPB’s approach to market growth – from insights to execution – was built with retailers in mind. Retailers were actively involved in the Consumer Connect research that laid the groundwork for the campaign. The campaign was developed to support existing retailers’ activities. 

But in addition to the campaign, we also had the opportunity to talk more about the evolution of pork and its opportunity beyond the chop. Through a culinary exercise, retail attendees experienced first-hand the versatility of pork and its role as an ingredient, a key element to selling more product to the millennial and Gen Z generations.  

While NPB’s information for retailers was an essential element of the meeting, the industry also gained important insights from ongoing conversations about selling more pork – many of which were overwhelmingly positive about our current market approach. 

What Retailers Told Us 

One highlight of RAC is the Chairman’s Lunch, which brings together retailers, NPB staff and pork producers to discuss non-competitive opportunities or challenges, share stories, and have an open dialogue. During this discussion, retailers shared their perspective on why they are excited about Taste What Pork Can Do™, which was the most impactful part of RAC for me this year. Among their observations, retailers shared: 

  • A recognition that “the stars have aligned” to create a transformational moment for the industry. This includes having the right competitive market, right opportunity, right staff, right information and insights that created the right campaign.  
  • The whole-hog approach to marketing invigorates the industry as we’re building from our strengths. 
  • The timing is right – the campaign launches to capitalize on grilling season, including Memorial Day, Father’s Day and the Fourth of July. 

These observations align with many of the strategy elements our team has worked hard to bring to life. But, when our customers who deal with our consumers say they see the same opportunities that we do, that’s validating. It demonstrates we have their support.  

What’s Next? 

For our retail partners (and NPB), the campaign launch day doesn’t represent the finish line – in fact, that’s when we really get started. As Taste What Pork Can Do™ begins reaching consumers, NPB and retail partners begin creating the supporting elements that will allow the work to reach its full potential.  

Point-of-sale materials, incremental ads and displays, ads that drive in-store purchases and more – we’ll take the marketing campaign to the retailer level with the goal of getting one click away from purchase. We are committed to supporting retailers at the store level so people who see our ads go to the store and connect the ads with our product. 

I’ve often said our new approach to consumer marketing builds off the strengths of the pork industry, including flavor and the existing affinity consumers have for our products. It also builds on our long-standing commitment to our retail partners and provides an opportunity to deliver a positive message that connects on an emotional level. 

Working across the supply chain sector creates more excitement and more opportunity to Taste What Pork Can Do™.