he National Pork Board (NPB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Patrick Fleming as the vice president of demand development. In this pivotal role, Fleming will spearhead the marketing and domestic demand team, employing a revolutionary, data-driven approach aimed at making pork more relevant to a broader spectrum of Americans. This appointment comes as the NPB wraps up an 18-month initiative, funded by the Pork Checkoff, to advance consumer market research and insights across the pork industry.
“The pork industry must unapologetically claim the position of taste and flavor for both fresh and further processed products,” said Fleming. “Leveraging Checkoff-developed consumer market research, we will emphasize our strengths of cultural relevance, affordability, and versatility, providing a framework for our supply chain to thrive under a new consumer strategy.”
Fleming’s team will focus on developing a consumer-facing campaign to increase pork’s appeal, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z Americans, whose pork consumption has been on the decline.
“To reposition pork in the marketplace and among younger Americans, we need an industry-wide approach with a unified message for pork. This will inevitably change the perception Millennials and Gen Z have of pork,” said Fleming. “Our goal is to encourage Americans to fall in love with pork. This mission is a major reason why I am thrilled to return to NPB.”
“Our domestic demand efforts will be led by one of the best in the business,” said David Newman, senior vice president of market growth for NPB. “With decades of farm-to-plate experience in sales and marketing, Patrick is passionate about this industry and excited to work on behalf of producers. He brings energy and momentum to the team, making pork relatable to consumers in key markets.”
The launch of NPB Consumer Connect, a sophisticated new market segmentation and business tool, will support the new campaign, enabling implementation across the food value chain.
“This consumer strategy is already being tailored by stakeholders and their businesses and brands as needed,” said Fleming. “It allows the entire pork industry to more efficiently and consistently reach specific consumer groups with the right message and content at the right time and place.”
Fleming will lead his nine-member team on priorities related to consumer demand, multicultural marketing, foodservice and retail support, packer/processor collaboration, and human nutrition strategies for NPB, with input and direction from the producer-led board of directors.
