SWEDESBORO, NJ. — Goat meat is gaining traction in the United States, according to Thomas Foods International (TFI), USA, a leader in the goat meat market.

“We’re seeing a significant uptick in goat meat sales,” said Danielle Marta, vice president of marketing and innovation at TFI. “One of our best-selling items is bone-in goat cubes, perfect for traditional applications like stews and curries.”

Goat is a popular protein around the world, with areas like Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Africa traditionally featuring goat meat in their cuisines. As US consumers seek global flavors, demand for goat meat has increased.

In January and February 2023, Midan Marketing conducted a survey of 1,300 US meat consumers and grouped them into distinctive personas. TFI said two of those groups pose as prospective new goat customers — the Connected Trendsetters, who have a strong willingness to try new meat products and expand purchasing, and the Claim Seekers, whose purchase decisions are motivated by health and sustainability benefits.  

On the retail side, goat sales across all grocery formats in 2024 reached $27 million, with unit sales at 3.5 million, according to data firm Nielsen. When compared to bison sales, which are more readily available in supermarkets, goat sales by volume and value in the natural supermarket channel in 2023 were significantly higher. Total goat sales across the US natural supermarket channel in 2023 were $16.5 million, with unit sales of 2.8 million, according to data from Circana. Meanwhile, bison sales were $5.2 million, with 412,000 units sold.

“We have retail partners who have sold out of their goat products very quickly and restocked multiple times,” said Lori Dunn, vice president of retail sales at TFI. “Our customers are impressed — surprised, even — by the demand for goat, not only among traditional goat consumers but new customers who are inspired by the product’s health and sustainability claims. We think that our fresh and frozen ground goat options, featuring on-pack ‘free range’ and ‘Halal’ callouts, will take that interest to a new level.” 

In the foodservice sector, goat can be found on 3.5% of menus in the United States, according to Datassential 2024. While still a modest figure, TFI noted that goat’s availability in restaurants is on an upward trend, up 4% since 2020. Datassential predicts more of a climb year-over-year from 2024 to 2025.

Regionally, the Midwest saw the largest increase in goat offerings. Across the country, 76% of consumers said they are aware of goat meat, while 28% said they have tried it, according to Datassential.

“With innovations in the pipeline designed specifically with foodservice operators in mind, we expect continued momentum in goat menuing moving forward,” said Jordan Pickard, vice president of foodservice at TFI. “As more consumers try goat in restaurants and experience its mild flavor and versatility across a broad range of culinary applications, we think demand for goat can only grow.” 

Australia is currently the main supplier of goat meat in the United States, said TFI.

TFI is an importer and processor of a comprehensive portfolio of premium proteins, including Australian pasture-raised lamb and grass-fed organic beef, grass and grain fed Angus beef, free-range goat, milk-fed Dutch veal, and all-natural exotic proteins. With a processing facility in Swedesboro, NJ, TFI is a fully integrated cold chain operation. 

Recently, TFI launched Free Range Ground Goat that boasts a lean profile and mild taste. It will be available through select retailers and distributors.

“We are excited to offer both fresh and frozen ground goat meat options, especially given the popularity of grinds,” Marta said. “The products are all natural, Halal-certified and sourced from goats that roam free on native pastures. Ground goat is very approachable in the kitchen and can easily be used in addition to or in place of other grinds in everyday applications.”

The company also launched Bone-in Goat Cubes that are available in 2-lb bags and 15-lb boxes. They can be found at select retailers and club stores nationwide, along with foodservice distributors and restaurant suppliers.

During the upcoming Annual Meat Conference (AMC), held March 24-26 in Orlando, TFI will debut its latest goat innovations, which include boneless cubes and ready-to-heat Thai Coconut Goat Curry.