VERNON, Calif. — Results of a consumer survey conducted in early October showing millennials’ greater receptivity to animal fats in their diets than a year ago has Coast Packing Co., a supplier of animal fat shortenings in the western United States, eager to share the news. The company conducted a benchmark study in 2015 and released the results of the new findings Oct. 22.

The survey, conducted in early October, also indicated that more 18-to-34-year old Americans (a population group of more than 75 million) are likely to actually consume fats from a category that includes lard and tallow than a year ago.

Results of the survey included interviews with 1,000 adults aged 18 and over conducted by Coast Packing and Ipsos Research indicating 24 percent of millennials were receptive to animal fats in their diet, up from 15 percent last year. Twenty percent of millennials reported having increased their intake of animal fats this year compared with 13 percent last year. At the same time, 32 percent of millennials this year said they reduced their intake of animal fats, along with 35 percent of the 35- to 54-year-old age group and 51 percent of those older than 55.

Epic animal fats

Epic Provisions, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based General Mills Inc., recently launched a line of animal fats, including duck fat, pork lard and beef tallow.

The survey indicated 12 percent of 35-to-54-year-olds were open to more animal fats in their diet, an increase over last year, according to Coast Packing.

“This year’s results show both more openness to animal fat consumption and higher stated consumption of animal fats since the last time Coast and Ipsos posed these questions,” said Eric Gustafson, CEO of Coast Packing. “Clearly, healthy animal fats like lard and beef tallow are back.”

The survey also found men of any age are more open to eating animal fats than are women, with 18 percent of men receptive to animal fats compared with 8 percent of women, and 14 percent of men increasing their consumption of animal fats vs. 5 percent of women.

Full copies of the survey results are available by email request at: admin@edgecommunicationsinc.com.