The Retail Rundown: Pork Finds Its October Opportunity

October is National Pork Month, and this year’s celebration comes at an important time for the pork industry. While the fall buying period provides a marketing hook, tighter hog supplies may be an even more important factor shaping the market.

A smaller hog inventory, steady-to-lower slaughter levels, and attractive prices on select cuts give retailers several reasons to feature pork.

The latest USDA Hogs and Pigs report puts the September 1 US hog and pig inventory at 74.3 million head, about 2% below a year earlier. Market hog inventories were also down about 2%, while the breeding herd was smaller. 

The industry enters the fall with a smaller supply base and limited signs of near-term expansion. While pork remains readily...

Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. Recalls Chicken Fried Rice Products 

Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc., a Portland, Ore. establishment, is recalling approximately 3,370,530 pounds of frozen not ready-to-eat (NRTE) chicken fried rice products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically glass, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The NRTE chicken fried rice items were produced between September 8, 2025, and November 17, 2025. The following products are subject to recall:

• 1.53-kg. cardboard packages containing 6 bags of frozen “AJINOMOTO YAKITORI CHICKEN WITH JAPANESE-STYLE FRIED RICE” with BEST BEFORE/MEILLEUR AVANT dates 26 SE 09 through 26 NO 12.

• 20-oz. (1 lb. 4 oz.) plastic bag packages containing frozen “TRADER JOE’S Chicken Fried Rice...

ANALYSIS: From the Grill to Checkout, US Tenderloin Market Performance & Retail Dynamics 2025

Tenderloin demand has remained resilient in 2025, with promotional activity keeping movement elevated. Seasonal buying patterns are intact, with peak promotional lift observed in late May and August as consumers transitioned into core grilling holidays. Price elasticity remains evident, as a roughly 40-cent spread between discounted and full-price offerings continues to incentivize retail movement.

According to Circana retail data, year-to-date (YTD) national discounted tenderloin prices have averaged just under $3.90 per pound, compared with roughly $4.30 per pound for non-promotional...