In this episode, Maheen Khan, senior brand manager for Challenge Butter, unpacks new research on Americans’ eating habits and what it signals for the future of food. The survey, sanctioned by Challenge Butter, signals a clear shift away from rigid diets and consumption rules toward a more flexible approach to eating — “culinary individualism,” as Challenge Butter is calling it. Khan explains how consumers are redefining wellness in 2026, prioritizing flavor, quality and enjoyment over restriction, following a mindset that encourages people to cook intuitively and make food choices that fit their own lifestyles.

Finally, Khan dives into how Challenge Butter is positioning itself in the midst of broader industry trends, from GLP-1 drugs to the new Dietary Guidelines and the ultraprocessed foods debate.

“The meat industry is having a moment,” says Brian Brozovic, who details some of the trends and insights he saw and learned at the Annual Meat Conference to start this episode of the podcast, and digs deeper into the culinary and product trends driving innovation today.

Brozovic then goes on to discuss how the industry is preparing for the potential of the MAHA movement and new Dietary Guidelines to give meat and poultry a boost — and whether the U.S. cattle supply chain is capable of handling any uptick in demand. Finally, he details the work he is involved in as a member of the Meat Institute’s Emerging Leaders Program, as well as what he and the Empirical Foods team has been working on nowadays.

In today’s episode, Jason Baskin, director of Retail Strategy and Business Transformation of Hormel Foods Corporation talks about the ways in which the 135-year-old company continues to evolve and grow. Guided by a tight focus on consumers and on providing what the company calls “real food protein,” Hormel feels well-positioned to move into a new phase of growth.

In addition, Baskin offers insights into some of the trends impacting Hormel’s portfolio — from multicultural food influences to the growing specter of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs — and what Hormel’s approach has been to addressing those trends.