Meat stocks are publicly traded companies that produce meat products, such as beef, pork, and chicken. They enable investors to cash in on our nearly insatiable desire for meat.
The average American consumes almost 225 pounds of meat each year, a little more than half a pound a day and the second-highest rate globally. Overall, worldwide meat consumption is rising. By 2050, global meat consumption could top 570 million tons, double the amount in 2008.
The forecast bodes well for food companies focused on producing meat to feed the masses. It's already a $1.4 trillion industry that should continue growing. Here's a closer look at the meat-focused food stocks investors could consider to potentially profit from our insatiable appetite for meat.
Best meat stocks
Best meat stocks
While several food companies focus on producing meat, the number of publicly traded options is dwindling due to mergers and acquisitions. Here's a snapshot of some of the biggest meat companies traded on major stock exchanges in 2025:
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Dividend yield | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilgrim's Pride (NASDAQ:PPC) | $11 billion | 0.00% | Food Products |
| Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) | $20 billion | 4.39% | Food Products |
| Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) | $192 million | 0.00% | Food Products |
| Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) | $14 billion | 4.53% | Food Products |
| BRF (NYSE:BRFS) | $6 billion | 0.00% | Food Products |
Here's a closer look at these meat-focused consumer staples stocks.
BRF S.A.
BRF S.A.
BRF is a global food company based in Brazil. It produces food for millions of people in 127 countries. The company has diversified food processing plants that produce meat, margarine, pasta, and desserts.
BRF has several top-selling brands, including Qualy (the top margarine brand in Brazil), Sadia (the most valuable food brand in Brazil), and Banvit (the leading poultry brand in Turkey). It also has a leading meat business focused on poultry and pork. In addition to selling meat products, such as cold cuts and encased meats, BRF aims to revolutionize the pork industry in Brazil by leading the meat substitute market.
These factors make the company a potentially tasty way to play the growth of meat consumption in emerging markets, along with trends like plant-based meat substitutes. In mid-2025, BRF agreed to merge with Marfrig (MRRTY 5.81%) to create one of the world's largest, multiprotein companies.
Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat is a leader in plant-based meat substitutes. The company aims to disrupt the meat industry by shifting the planet from animal-based meat to plant-based proteins. Beyond Meat strives to create products with the same taste and texture as animal-based meats. It believes its products will improve the health of the population and the planet.
Beyond Meat has developed plant-based products that it sells to the food service and retail sectors to replace beef, pork, and chicken. The company sold more than 70 million pounds of products in 2024, generating over $325 million in revenue. It continues investing in innovative new products to gobble up a larger share of the global meat market.
Revenue
Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods
Hormel is a leading global branded food company. It has three operating segments:
- Retail: This category features the company's iconic retail brands, like Planters, SPAM, Skippy, Herdez, Jennie-O, and Hormel.
- Foodservice: This operating segment focuses on serving food service places with a portfolio of products in the pizza toppings and bacon categories.
- International: This operating category includes products the company sells internationally, as well as its international investments.
Hormel has been slowly shifting from being a meat-centric company to a global branded food company. It generates over $12 billion in revenue from more than 40 global brands. The company also boasts an elite record of increasing its dividend. With nearly 60 years of consecutive annual dividend increases, Hormel Foods is a Dividend King.
Pilgrim's Pride
Pilgrim's Pride
Pilgrim's Pride is one of the world's largest poultry producers. The company operates protein processing plants and prepared food facilities worldwide. It primarily delivers its products to retailers and food service distributors.
Pilgrim's Pride also has a rapidly growing prepared foods business featuring branded fully cooked products Just Bare and Pilgrim's Chicken. The company's revenue rose 3% in 2024 to almost $18 billion, and its net income tripled to more than $1 billion (largely due to falling costs).
Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods is one of the world's largest food companies. It's a leader in protein, with an estimated 20% share of U.S. protein consumption. The company's segments include prepared foods, beef, pork, chicken, and international/other. It has an extensive portfolio of products and brands, including Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, IBP, and State Fair.
Tyson has also expanded into plant-based products in recent years. Its Raised & Rooted brand features a growing lineup of alternative plant-based protein products. It also invested in the insect ingredients company Protix to support the growth of sustainable insect-based proteins.
Related investing topics
Are meat stocks a good investment?
Demand for meat is growing, which should enable meat-focused producers (and producers of alternative plant-based products) to expand their profits in the coming years. Investors have several tasty options if they want to invest directly in the long-term growth potential of the global meat market.
FAQ
FAQ on meat stocks
What are the biggest meat companies?
The biggest meat companies are Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS, and National Beef Packing.
Are there any publicly traded lab-grown meat companies?
As of mid-2025, there were no publicly traded lab-grown meat companies because companies like Upside Foods had yet to go public.
What is the largest meat industry in the U.S.?
Beef is the largest meat industry in the U.S.
Can investing in meat stocks provide steady dividends?
Yes, investing in meat stocks can provide steady dividends. Hormel delivered its 59th consecutive annual dividend increase in late 2024, while Tyson has raised its payout every year for the past decade.
