Butterball Releases Its 2023 Thanksgiving Outlook Report

The turkey company's annual Thanksgiving Outlook Report confirms consumer commitment to having turkey at the center of the table

GARNER, N.C., Aug. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Butterball, the best known and most loved* brand of turkey in the U.S., today released its annual Thanksgiving Outlook Report, revealing consumer plans and sentiment with the holiday less than three months away. 

According to the findings, people are optimistic and planning to celebrate – with turkey as the centerpiece – again this year, but inflation is top of mind for many. Notably, 79% of consumers who plan to celebrate Thanksgiving expect inflation to impact their plans. However, holiday hosts remain committed to serving turkey, with 82% still planning to serve it.

Key takeaways and trends from the report are revealed below. 

Consumers are looking forward to celebrating together.

• 89% of consumers plan to host or attend a celebration of the same size or larger this year.
• The anticipated average size of celebrations is 9 people – back to pre-pandemic numbers.
• 83% of those planning to celebrate Thanksgiving associate the holiday with family; 74% associate it with togetherness.

Consumers are dedicated to celebrating with turkey at the center of their tables.   

• Turkey remains the most popular part of the meal, followed by stuffing, pie and potatoes.
• 79% of people serving turkey intend to purchase a whole turkey (fresh or frozen).
• 81% of hosts plan to buy the same size or larger turkey this year.

Consumers are planning other ways to control the costs of their celebrations, including:

• 29% will ask guests to bring part of the meal.
• 16% will ask guests to share the expense of the meal.
• 14% will host less formal gatherings.

"While inflation remains top of mind, it's encouraging to see consumers' continued dedication to gathering with friends and family this holiday season, and to gathering around turkey specifically," said Chad McFadden, senior retail brand manager at Butterball. "We're proud to play a part in helping to bring people together and pass love on this holiday season."

For 42 years, the Butterball Turkey-Talk Line® has helped new and seasoned hosts prepare the perfect holiday centerpiece and mitigate concerns such as inflation along the way. Once again, this team of trusted culinary experts will be available via phone, text, chat and social channels, beginning Wednesday, November 1. To learn more about Butterball and how to reach the Turkey Talk-Line experts this holiday season, visit Butterball.com.     

About the Study  
Butterball partnered with Circana to commission an online survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,838 U.S. adults. The survey was fielded by Circana between July 3 and 14.

About the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line 
One of the first national, toll-free consumer help lines, the Turkey Talk-Line has helped millions of consumers since its first season in November 1981. Each November and December, professionally trained turkey experts assist holiday cooks through the Turkey Talk-Line, Butterball.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, live chat and emails in the United States and Canada. With more than 50 staff members, the Turkey Talk-Line has the resources to answer questions from both English- and Spanish-speaking callers. 

About Butterball
Butterball, LLC, headquartered in Garner, North Carolina, is the best known and most loved* brand of turkey in the U.S. Bringing people together over wholesome homemade meals for more than 60 years, the company provides retail and foodservice products to customers in more than 45 countries. Butterball is committed to being an industry leader in quality, food safety and animal care and well-being, and was the first major turkey company to voluntarily achieve certification through American Humane. The company employs over 6,500 team members who work in production facilities, live operations and offices across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina. For consumer questions or information, visit Butterball.com or call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line^®, 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372). 

 *Source: 2022 Kantar Brand Tracking Wave 6 n=400 

Media contact: butterballmedia@edelman.com

SOURCE Butterball LLC