Lamb Report: American Lamb Board releases quarterly lamb report
On June 18, the American Lamb Board (ALB) released their Quarterly Circana Lamb Report, highlighting robust gains in dollar sales despite continued pressure on volume.
“The latest ALB retail analysis shows consumers are spending more on lamb than ever before, even as higher prices temper pounds sold,” the report states.
Dollar sales
ALB reports during the first quarter of 2026, U.S. retail lamb dollar sales increased 9.8 percent compared to the first quarter of 2025.
Additionally, ALB notes over the latest 52 weeks, dollar sales were up 10.2 percent, reaching nearly $981 million nationally.
Although revenue growth remained strong, the ALB report shows volume sales reflected a different story, noting pounds sold declined 2.5 percent during Q1 and slipped 0.6 percent over the latest 52 weeks, highlighting the ongoing impact of rising retail prices.
The report further highlights lamb prices returned to 2022 levels, with pricing remaining the primary driver of sales growth.
“Average retail lamb prices increased 12.6 percent year-over-year in Q1, rising from $8.13 per pound to $9.15 per pound,” reads the report. “Every U.S. region experienced price increases, with the Southeast posting the largest jump and becoming the highest-priced region at $9.74 per pound.”
“Despite inflationary pressures and broader consumer concerns about household spending, lamb has demonstrated remarkable resilience, maintaining strong dollar performance nationwide,” the report continues.
Domestic lamb
On a positive note, ALB notes one of the most encouraging trends for American producers is the continued momentum behind domestic lamb.
According to the report, domestic lamb outperformed both imported lamb and the overall category for the fifth consecutive quarter.
“Over the last 52 weeks, domestic lamb sales increased 12.4 percent in dollars and 5.7 percent in volume at participating ALB retailers,” the report states. “This stands in sharp contrast to the broader lamb category, where volume remained essentially flat.”
ALB says domestic lamb’s growing market share suggests consumers are increasingly seeking American-produced product, even in a higher-priced environment.
Category leaders
In terms of category growth, several cuts delivered standout performances during the quarter, with ground lamb and racks leading the way.
Racks and rib roasts were the clear category winner, according to the report, generating a 18.4 percent increase in dollar sales during Q1, which accounted for nearly one-half of the category’s overall dollar growth.
Ground lamb continued its multi-year growth trajectory, posting a 12 percent increase in dollar sales despite a decline in pounds sold.
ALB further notes demand for ground lamb remains exceptionally strong, reaching a new weekly sales record of $1.68 million during January.
The report also highlights growth in ingredient cuts which saw a 15 percent increase in dollar sales and a remarkable 29.3 percent increase in volume sales compared to Q1 findings from 2025.
In addition, whole leg cuts saw a 12.8 percent increase in dollar sales, and blade chops saw a 10.2 percent increase in dollar sales.
Regional growth
According to ALB, every major U.S. region recorded dollar growth during Q1.
Leading regions included the South Central Region at a 17.2 percent increase, the Southeast Region at a 14 percent increase and the Plains Region at a 13.4 percent increase.
“The South Central and Plains regions also posted meaningful volume growth, demonstrating consumer demand remains strong in several developing lamb markets,” the report states.
ALB further highlights Houston as “one of the industry’s strongest growth stories” in terms of metropolitan markets, noting Q1 dollar sales in the city surged 20.6 percent year-over-year, while pounds sold increased 12.8 percent.
Houston was one of only two major markets to post volume gains, as Seattle also delivered impressive results with dollar sales up 14.3 percent and volume increasing 4.9 percent.
Once again, ALB notes the effects of higher prices affected traditional high-consumption markets such as San Francisco and Boston, which each continued to generate sales growth but experienced significant declines in volume.
Holiday performance
Seasonal demand re-mained important to the lamb industry, according to the report, with Easter remaining the largest selling period for lamb.
“Easter 2025 was the strongest performance on record,” the report states. “Christmas 2025, however, produced mixed results. Dollar sales matched the previous year, but volume declined noticeably.”
“As the quarter closed, sales activity was already building in anticipation of Easter 2026, positioning the industry for another important holiday selling season,” the report continues.
Looking ahead
In closing, ALB offers some key takeaways regarding Q1 performance and potential future trends.
“The Q1 results reinforce a trend which has defined the lamb category for much of the past two years – consumers continue to value lamb enough to absorb higher prices,” the report emphasizes. “The challenge for the industry moving forward will be sustaining demand while navigating elevated retail pricing and broader economic uncertainty.”
“Still, the continued growth of domestic lamb, record-setting ground lamb performance and expanding opportunities in markets provide strong signals the category’s long-term fundamentals remain healthy,” the report continues.
The bottom line, according to ALB, is lamb continues to outperform expectations at retail.
“While higher prices are driving much of the category’s dollar growth, domestic lamb is capturing market share, innovative cuts are finding new consumers and key growth markets are delivering encouraging volume gains,” the report concludes.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
