As a pork producer, Gordon Spronk admits it’s easy to fixate on on-farm production metrics.
“I’m as guilty of it as any producer is,” says Spronk, who farms near Edgerton, Minn. “In my career, we focused on production and on-farm practices, but now my curiosity and intent is to focus on the consumer. I believe that consumer focus will help us solve and meet the challenges we face right now.”
Even though animal protein is having a broader cultural moment, U.S. domestic pork consumption has remained flat—stagnating around 50 lb. per capita for decades. Spronk believes the U.S. industry could learn a critical lesson from Japan on how consumer-focused preparation, flavor and full carcass utilization drive long-term demand.
Since 1970, Japan’s annual per capita pork consumption has climbed from just over 2 lb. (1 kg) to more than 35 lb. (16 kg), propelled by culinary innovation and a focus on consistent eating quality. Today, Japan represents a roughly $1.4 billion export market for U.S. pork.
“Pork is presented quite differently in Japan than in the U.S.,” Spronk says. “If we’re going to fix the demand problem, we first have to realize that we have a demand problem. Then, we have to change our thinking to be consumer-focused.”
Seeing Demand in Action
Spronk was one of 24 agricultural leaders and producers representing pork, beef, corn and soybean organizations who recently traveled to Japan with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to examine overseas marketing efforts firsthand.
Andy Tauer, vice president of international market development at the National Pork Board, says trips like these serve a dual purpose: building relationships with overseas buyers while giving U.S. producers a fresh lens on culinary application.
“As we think about the multicultural work that we do back home on the domestic side, how do we take these learnings and translate those into opportunities for our U.S. consumers?” Tauer asks. “Taste and texture drive the eating experience for pork. In Japan, pork is so readily available, whether at retail or food service. How can we build off those learnings back home?”
During the mission, delegates visited restaurants serving tonkatsu—a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet typically made from pork loin. In Japan, these menus frequently feature U.S. pork, providing high-value demand for a loin cut that is often underappreciated and undervalued in the domestic market.
“Utilizing the pork loin in a different way creates a completely different eating experience for the U.S. consumer as we think about pushing through that 50-pound per capita ceiling,” Tauer notes.
Another standout was the beef-pork blended burger patty, popular in Japanese restaurants and grocers for its juiciness, flavor balance and fat profile.
“When you go to a U.S. grocery store and look for hamburger, it’s beef, and you have to search for ground pork or a blended product,” Spronk says. “In Japan, blended pork/beef product is a big deal. That’s something with real legs that we can bring back to the U.S. I really get excited about that as a producer.”
Maximizing the Entire Carcass
International trade also plays a vital role in full carcass utilization, monetizing variety meats and muscle cuts—such as tongues, intestines, and Boston butts—that have lower demand in the U.S.
“Let’s be honest: there are parts and pieces of the hog that we just don’t consume in the U.S.,” Tauer says. “Leveraging our partnerships in international markets to plus-up those cuts around the globe increases the total valuation of the carcass.”
While touring a processing plant in Japan, the delegation watched workers process tongue meat, a delicacy prized by Japanese consumers. For Spronk, a highlight was stepping into the cooler and seeing boxes stamped from all over the world—Australia, Canada, Mexico—alongside a box of pork from Iowa, originating from the very home county of one of the delegation members.
“Nothing is more rewarding for an American producer than walking into a foreign plant and seeing a box of pork products from their hometown,” Spronk says.
A “Two-Way Street” for Innovation
For both Spronk and Tauer, the ultimate takeaway is that export markets are no longer just an outlet to move excess volume—they are a test kitchen and blueprint for domestic growth.
“One of the best parts of doing these trips is getting producers talking more about the consumer,” Tauer says. “What are their wants, needs and desires? We often look at exports as a one-way street, but it’s really a two-way street.”
Spronk urges fellow producers to stay curious and embrace consumer-first thinking.
“It comes down to basic human behavior,” Spronk says. “You first must have a vision where pork is convenient, flavorful and meets consumer needs—in fast food or casual dining. Whether it’s a pork tenderloin or a pork filet, if it doesn’t meet consumer demand, our job is to be curious, ask questions, and figure out how to deliver what they want.”
