Wanting peace of mind from their piece of meat
Though Americans are eating less red meat these days -- about 4% less per person in the last two years -- sales of "natural" meat have jumped 30% or more this year according to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
Of course, upscale restaurants have been trumpeting their chops' provenance for years, making Niman Ranch pork and James Ranch lamb name brands among well-to-do foodies who have it shipped. But only recently has all this boutique food gone mainstream, showing up in the local supermarket and suburban kitchens. And while you'd think the shaky economy would make people think twice before shelling out as much as $25 a pound for tenderloin, stores like the Whole Foods chain say sales have jumped in the past two years. "People have started wanting peace of mind from their piece of meat," says Kate Lowery, a spokeswoman for the market.