Popular Pig

About Popular Pig

Welcome to the Popular Pig Podcast. A convenient place where you can stay up to date on what’s popular in the swine industry. By listening to Popular Pig, you will receive invaluable information on the latest trends, news, and research from various experts that guide the global pork industry.

Publisher

Matthew Rooda

Category

business · education · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Apr 2020

Latest episode

11 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

29 of 273 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   11 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The Founding Story of Iowa Craft Meats | Dwight Mogler

   Dwight Mogler, managing partner of Iowa Craft Meats, shares the founding story of his value-added pork business and its mission to connect consumers with producers.

2. 

   28 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Taste What Pork Can Do®: Connecting Campaign Results to Producer Value | Lee Schulz, Kiersten Hafer, Jesse Heimer

   Lee Schulz, Kiersten Hafer, and Jesse Heimer discuss how connecting campaign results to producer value drives pork demand growth through consumer understanding and targeted messaging.

3. 

   14 May 2026

   Ground Pork’s Untapped Potential and How to Win with Consumers | Sarah Showalter & Will Brunt

   About the Guests Sarah Showalter is the director of consumer and business insights for the National Pork Board. She implements consumer-focused, producer-led strategy by leading qualitative and quantitative research to answer business questions and identify opportunities. Prior to her role at NPB, Showalter attended Iowa State University and has experience in developing strategic insights through research at Circana (formerly IRI), Conagra Brands and Hallmark Cards, Inc. Will Brunt is the chief innovation and marketing officer for Villari Food Group, based out of Wilmington, North Carolina. In this role, he develops and implements strategic initiatives that align with business objectives in innovation, sales and marketing. He notably established a robust three-year pipeline of innovative products, delivering 5% annual growth and maintaining a competitive product portfolio. Will has spent more than half of his 32-year marketing and advertising career with animal protein, emphasizing pork, specifically Boar’s Head, Smithfield Foods and Villari Food Group, while also building cross-functional teams and creating a growth-oriented culture of accountability and partnership. Other brands throughout his career include Sara Lee, Tabasco, Rolling Rock, Ventura Foods and International Delight. Lastly, Will was active in the National Pork Board’s two-year marketing advisory group, which served as a crucial feedback loop for the development of the Taste What Pork Can Do® consumer brand campaign, launched in May 2025. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Why ground pork is a major growth opportunity and how it fits today’s need for quick, easy meals How ground pork’s versatility lets it work across global flavors, everyday meals, and different cooking styles Why consumers are stuck in habits and how simple swaps like using pork instead of beef can unlock new meals How education across the entire supply chain is key to driving demand and making ground pork a household staple Sarah & Will’s “Golden Nugget”

Inside a recent episode

The Founding Story of Iowa Craft Meats | Dwight Mogler

Published 11 Jun 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And so I took that upon myself. But really where this has evolved to is I really knew that a lot of people who have tried what I'm trying – The carcass utilization challenge is the challenge, right? I mean, when that pig draws its last breath and turns into a live animal to a carcass, you have a ticking time clock, right? It all has to go somewhere. It all has to go somewhere, and it's perishable, right? I mean, so the expression of sell it or smell it, right? I mean, it will sell at a price, but it might not be at a profitable price. And so quite frankly, we knew that would be a challenge. And so we were able to negotiate an arrangement with a processor where we do have the opportunity to buy back primals, but we've got a little bit of a grace period. […]

Who has been a guest on Popular Pig

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dwight Mogler
• Lee Schulz
• Kiersten Hafer
• Jesse Heimer
• Edwina Beveridge

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.4 / 5

16 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 42 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

63

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Popular Pig

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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  🇨🇦 The Swine it Podcast Show Canada

Questions about Popular Pig