Americans Are Rethinking Protein: New Survey Finds Strong Preference for Whole-Food Ingredients Over Processed Alternatives

At a moment when protein has never been more central to how Americans eat, shop, and think about their health, a new national survey* commissioned by Pre® Brands, one of the nation’s leading providers of grass-fed and grass-finished premium lean beef proteins, finds that consumers are applying an increasingly discerning standard to the protein they choose. Real, whole-food sources are strongly preferred over processed alternatives, and the attributes consumers use to define premium protein—taste, quality, and real-food credentials—align closely with beef’s strongest consumer perceptions.

The survey of 2,000 U.S. adults finds:

• 85% say whole-food protein is healthier than protein from processed products

• 79% say whole-food protein is more satisfying

• 74% say whole-food protein is more filling

• 65% say they would rather eat clean, minimally processed protein than drink a shake

“Consumers increasingly want protein that comes from recognizable, minimally processed foods that fit into a balanced lifestyle,” said Nicole Schumacher, Chief Marketing Officer, Pre® Brands. “That shift in how people think about protein is shaping what ends up in their grocery carts and on their plates.”

How Consumers Define Premium Protein (and Where Beef Stands)

When asked what “premium protein” means to them, consumers most often cited high-quality nutrition (42%), followed by whole and real-food ingredients (29%) and superior cuts or texture (27%). Flavor is the single strongest driver of whether a protein feels premium, named by 52% of respondents, followed closely by nutrition quality at 50%.

Measured against those attributes, beef performs strongly:

• 44% say beef delivers the best taste of any protein, narrowly ahead of chicken at 42%

• 29% say beef feels like the most premium protein overall, more than double chicken (16%), seafood (12%), or eggs (12%)

• 31% say beef is the most functional protein for health and fitness goals

• 65% say they typically get protein from beef in a given week

Together, these findings suggest beef aligns closely with the attributes consumers most often associate with premium protein, particularly taste, quality, and whole-food appeal. Beef also holds a distinctive position in consumers’ protein routines, functioning as both a regular weekly staple and the protein most associated with elevating a meal. That dual role is reinforced by where consumers turn to beef most: it leads all proteins at lunch (58%) and dinner (74%), making it the anchor protein of America’s most important eating occasions.

The Contrast With Processed Protein

Consumer enthusiasm for whole-food protein has a direct counterpart in how Americans view processed alternatives. Among those who choose protein bars, shakes, or powders less frequently, the top barriers are cost (31%), taste (24%), feeling too processed (22%), and not feeling “real” (22%). Those are precisely the attributes—authenticity, taste, and premium nutrition—that consumers consistently associate with beef, reinforcing the qualities consumers say they value most in whole-food protein sources.

Strong Resonance Among Men — and Steady Appeal Across Generations

The findings reveal particularly strong resonance among men, who are more likely to view beef as premium, functional, and performance-oriented. Men are significantly more likely than women to get protein from beef in a typical week (71% vs. 60%), to view it as the most premium protein (36% vs. 23%), to see it as an upgrade from everyday choices (30% vs. 22%), to say it delivers the best taste (50% vs. 39%), and to name it the most functional protein for health and fitness goals (35% vs. 28%).

Across generations, beef’s appeal holds steady, with 67% of Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers each reporting they typically get protein from beef in a given week, underscoring its broad relevance beyond any single demographic.

“People are looking for protein that delivers on taste and quality without compromise,” said Schumacher. “That is the standard Pre® holds itself to, and it is clearly what consumers are asking for.”

For consumers looking to put real-food protein at the center of their plate, Pre® Brands’ 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef is available nationwide at grocery, club, and e-commerce channels including Instacart.

About Pre® Brands

Pre® Brands is one of the leading grass-fed and grass-finished premium lean beef proteins available nationwide at grocery, club, and e-commerce channels including Instacart and Amazon Fresh. Pre® beef is sourced from cattle in New Zealand and Australia and is 100% pasture raised and grazed for their whole lives on lush, nutrient-rich grasses in accordance with the strictest beef standards in the world. This commitment to a 100% grass-fed and grass-finished, wet-aged process results in high-quality, great-tasting lean beef products with transparency from pasture to package to plate. Pre®’s portfolio of products includes steaks, ground beef, marinades, and seasonal items that have no added hormones, are Non-GMO Project verified, Halal compliant, and Whole30, Paleo, and Keto certified.

*Survey Methodology: Junipr, on behalf of Pre® Brands, commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,000 adults throughout the United States. The margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence level of 95%. Fieldwork took place between May 1–4, 2026. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.