Capitalizing on the Convergence of Consumer Food Trends 

Our CEO, Paul Myer, recently presented with Maximilan von Poelnitz, managing director for Ajinomoto Group Ventures, at Future Food-Tech in San Francisco. It was a new event for Athian and, though many sustainability thought leaders attended, the agenda was focused on health and how technology can be both the hero and the villain in the food industry’s quest to meet consumer demand. 

It may not be obvious how Athian could contribute to a conference featuring sessions like “MAHA Unpacked” and “Designing for the GLP-1 Consumer” but Myer clearly sees the connection. 

“Athian already is helping food companies improve their environmental footprint and invest in farmer resilience, which are two very important values for today’s consumer,” Myer says. “But our technology also can help the livestock industry shine at a time when shoppers are prioritizing high-protein, clean labels and transparency.” 

Power of protein

Myer presented data from the 2026 Power of Meat study sponsored by the Food Industry Association and Meat Institute showing 92% of consumers say getting enough protein is very or somewhat important and 42% are more focused on incorporating protein in their diet than a year ago. 

This increased protein focus could be due to the use of GLP-1s, which more than doubled from early 2024 to late 2025 according to a Gallup survey. The firm 210 Analytics, which conducts the Power of Meat, found GLP-1 consumers were 40% more likely than average to be very interested in high-protein recipes and meal ideas. 

“The conversation isn’t just about protein though, it’s also about the quality of nutrients and limiting ‘unnatural’ ingredients,” Myer says. “So, while food manufacturers are adding protein to everything from pasta to potato chips, animal protein has a real opportunity to be a preferred source.”

Myer also shared data with Future Food-Tech attendees about demand for clean labels. In its November 2025 Clean Label Trends report, Innova Market Insights says about one-quarter of consumers globally are eliminating processed foods from their diets and 28% associated eco-friendly practices with clean labels – highlighting the intersection of health, sustainability and transparency. 

Impacts for dairy, meat sales

‍The Power of Meat shows how some categories of products already are benefiting from these trends. About 60% of consumers say they turn to cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese for protein-based snacking and 25% say they are eating more meat and poultry due to both a focus on higher protein diets and avoiding “ultra processed” foods. 

“Dairy and meat sales are reflecting the increased demand for whole-food protein sources,” Myer says, “Imagine the gains we could see if we also leveraged technology to tell a more proactive story about farmer care from farm to fork and take credit for the industry’s sustainability practices.” 

Transparency matters, technology makes it possible

‍More than half of consumers surveyed for the Power of Meat say they are trying to make choices that are better for the environment. Innova’s Clean Label Trends report from March of last year shows that although most consumers (two-thirds) trust environmental claims, they want more transparency. 

Animal protein producers that are trying to navigate these shopper trends for the benefit of their businesses need a trusted partner and reliable technology platform to make sense of it all and ensure the credibility of their claims. 

Athian’s platform facilitates supply chain connections, tracks and verifies the necessary data and delivers trustworthy outcomes to support food company reporting and customer-facing communication. In fact, Athian is proud to work with some of the largest dairy cooperatives, processors and food brands to make progress toward their Scope-3 goals, reward farmers for their practices and meet consumer demand for more socially responsible food production. 

Watch this video to learn more about how the process works and reach out to info@athian.ag to talk to Athian about taking advantage of the opportunity presented by these trends. 

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