The Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo, known as FNCE, brings together health and wellness professionals for networking and education. Emily Krause, director of nutrition, health, and wellness initiatives with the National Pork Board, says the event provides the pork industry with a valuable opportunity to share the pork story by using science-based information to highlight its nutritional benefits and role in a healthy diet.

“This audience, in particular, is really receptive to hearing science-based information. This is the prime example of where we can really share our nutrition research and dive into the weeds with this audience. They also love hearing about how pork is nutritious and how it’s flavorful.”

Krause said FNCE was a great opportunity to showcase Pork and Partners and share more about the National Pork Board’s new campaign, Taste What Pork Can Do™, which highlights the flavor, versatility, and nutrition pork brings to every meal.

“And this is really the biggest event that we’ve had that we can bring Taste What Pork Can Do to registered dietitians since we launched earlier this year, and it’s an opportunity for them to talk with producers. This is my third year doing FNCE with the National Pork Board, and time and time again, we love to see how dietitians really respond to having producers at our booth. We engaged with over 800 attendees.” 

During FNCE, the National Pork Board hosted blind taste tests featuring four pork dishes to highlight how pork—known as a carrier food—pairs well with plants and grains in a well-balanced diet. The activity gave attendees a hands-on way to experience how pork can enhance both flavor and nutrition in everyday meals.

“So, they would taste a recipe at their table. They talked about what pork cut it was, what plant pairing it was, what dish they thought it was, and what culture it came from. And then our presenter went into the different pork cuts. Each recipe had a different pork cut, the plant pairings, and then, what is that cultural dish?”

Krause said attending FNCE provided valuable opportunities to connect with professionals across the dietary industry, including retail dietitians. She shared that the National Pork Board introduced a message guide focused on seasonal themes, helping dietitians incorporate pork into their own company promotions during the upcoming holiday season.  

 Visit www.porkcheckoff.org/2025 to learn how Pork Checkoff is building a bigger appetite for pork.