From flavor complexity to proven meal satisfaction, the National Pork Board’s (NPB) latest nutrition investments are delivering results that validate pork’s place in today’s food culture—and reinforce its relevance in the American diet.
Pork Means Proven Meal Satisfaction in Military Cadets & Consumer Trials
A new NPB-funded study done with the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets found that pork-based military-style meals led to less muscle soreness, lower fatigue and higher appetite satisfaction after three days—compared to plant-based meals—underscoring pork’s role as a flavor-first, high-quality protein that also supports cadets’ performance and recovery under intense mental and physical training conditions.
Additionally, the 18‑week NPB-funded PRODMED trial on older adults confirms pork’s superiority in protein quality and higher ratings on meal enjoyment, fullness and willingness to continue enjoying the food after conclusion of the study. Together, these studies demonstrate that pork consistently wins on meal satisfaction and performance—critical for adherence to nutrition guidelines and long-term menu loyalty.
Ongoing human nutrition research continues to complement the Taste What Pork Can Do™ campaign, positioning pork as a nutrient-dense and versatile protein. Findings from early 2024 describe pork’s flavor profile as rich in over 110 distinct flavor nuances—from umami to hazelnut to floral. Flavor isn’t just a sensory bonus—it’s a key driver of nutrition adherence and keeps consumers coming back for more. As Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, director of human nutrition at NPB, emphasizes, “Flavor drives behavior. When food tastes good, people stick with it.”
Connecting Flavor to Dietary Guidelines and Consumer Health
NPB brought Taste What Pork Can Do™ messaging to over 2,600 scientists and key opinion leaders in nutrition with a sponsored session at Nutrition 2025, the world’s leading nutrition science meeting. “Rethinking the Plate: Leveraging Food Traditions and Flavor for Dietary Guidelines Adherence” included speakers like Chef Via Yang, who has appeared on shows like Iron Chef, hosts his own show on PBS called Relish, and who has won three James Beard awards.
With his presentation time, he highlighted how pork can help diverse populations meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and reinforced that pork’s flavor flexibility allows it to serve as a “carrier food,” helping Americans enjoy more balanced, inclusive meals. Key takeaways included leveraging pork’s umami intensity to elevate traditional dishes and its role in making nutrition both enjoyable and actionable.
Nutrition scientists responded extremely well to the new Taste What Pork Can Do™ messaging. Over 90% found the session, speakers and information presented enjoyable, and 71% indicated they plan to share information about pork and recommend pork to their primary audience.
Human Nutrition Delivers Recent Wins in Market Relevance and Media Visibility
The Taste What Pork Can Do™ campaign is purpose-built for global flavor and cultural connection. Through chef partnerships, culinary influencers, and registered dietitian collaborations, pork’s sensory story is being brought to life for consumers.
More than 140 million people have been reached with NPB research this year.
For example, NPB is securing coverage in the very media sources that Millennials and Gen Z audiences read like Prevention, which reaches 6.3 million people each month. A recent feature by a known registered dietitian influencer named pork as one of the top 24 foods to build muscle, even including Taste What Pork Can Do™ core messaging.
“Its [pork’s] versatility in cooking adds to its appeal for quick and nutritious meals.”
Other Recent Market and Media Wins
- Measurable return on investment among Black Millennial and Gen Z consumers within the top African American marketplaces to purchase fresh pork through shoppable programmatic ads featuring Pork Chops, Pork Tenderloin, and pre-roll video.
- The healthcare professional community is promoting positive messaging about pork, thanks to dietitian and Pork & Partners member Ashley Martinez. Ashley, who regularly collaborates with Ohio Pork and is also a Bengals cheerleader, was featured on NBC Sports. In her appearance, she shared that she educates elementary school classrooms about the nutritional benefits of pork.
- Key Takeaway: After two years of Pork & Partners, our community has grown to over 2,900 healthcare professionals who are interested in learning more about pork nutrition and research and can pass this information on to their primary audiences.
- In June, the NPB-run webinar, “Nurturing Young Eaters: Empowering Dietitians to Support Hispanic Families,” was a success. More than 1,649 healthcare professionals registered and 655 attended the event live.
- Key Takeaway: This webinar secured 400 more registrants than our February webinar on heart health in the kitchen. This was a collaboration between NPB, Washington Dairy Council, Dairy Management West, Arizona Beef Council, and Dairy West.
- Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof was featured on the Exam Room Nutrition podcast with Colleen Sloan, who is both a Physician Associate and a Registered Dietitian as a guest, where this earned media opportunity reached 1,000 listeners. Dr. Hicks-Roof shared that health professionals can encourage lean pork with patients to enhance nutrition and make healthy meals more flavorful and appealing.
- Key Takeaway: Sharing pork nutrition messaging through health professional media channels has message multiplier capabilities, as each listener can share out with their practice.
With scientifically proven meal satisfaction, unmatched flavor depth and measurable campaign reach, pork is poised for continued growth fueled by putting human nutrition insights into actionable messages.
