Chicken Buyers Shift Toward Speed and AI

A study presented at the 2024 Chicken Marketing Summit forecasts consumer priorities for fresh chicken through 2035.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Vegetarian

Chicken Buyers Shift Toward Speed and AI

Live Poll

Do you plan to buy fresh meat online in the next six months?

Research presented at the 2024 Chicken Marketing Summit finds that 71% of consumers spend more than 30 minutes preparing a typical evening meal. The study projects that fast prep and online purchasing will shape fresh chicken buying through 2035.

Why it matters

The findings point to rising demand for convenience, digital purchasing and alternative proteins among younger shoppers, which could influence how meat products are packaged, marketed and sold across the United States. Because the study was commissioned by the National Chicken Council, its projections reflect an industry perspective.

A survey of 620 U.S. adults found 45% bought fresh meat online in the past six months, and 34% of chicken buyers purchased plant-based alternatives, up from 10% in 2019. Half of chicken buyers say they will definitely or probably not buy lab-grown meat alternatives, and the projections beyond the survey window are not explained in the source data.

The players

National Chicken Council

The National Chicken Council is the U.S. trade association representing chicken producers, which commissioned the study.

Circana

Circana is a market research firm that conducted the online survey and analyzed retail database data for the study.

The details

The study, commissioned by the National Chicken Council and conducted online by Circana, compared generational cohorts aged 18 to 67 using retail database data. It found 67% of Gen Z expect fast prep to be a priority within five years, and 52% of Gen Z use AI for food purchase information.

2019: Baseline year for the 10% plant-based purchase rate.
Past six months: Survey window for fresh meat and plant-based purchases.
2024: Research presented at the Chicken Marketing Summit.
2035: Target year for projected consumer behavior.

Culture Shift

The findings extend a broader move toward online meat purchasing, with 45% of respondents buying fresh meat online in the past six months. Plant-based alternative purchases among chicken buyers rose from 10% in 2019 to 34%, signaling a shift in protein choices across generations.

Shoppers planning meals may find fast-prep and single-serve packaging increasingly available as these priorities grow. Buyers who want plant-based options should note that purchase rates among chicken buyers have risen sharply since 2019.

The takeaway

Consumers weighing protein choices can compare fast-prep options and plant-based alternatives, since the survey shows both are gaining traction among chicken buyers. Checking packaging and prep time before buying can help align purchases with a weeknight routine.