Beef tallow takeover? Big food companies begin to embrace MAHA ingredient

Food Dive reported the development on 2026-06-22. Major food companies such as Conagra and Utz are making products with the rendered animal fat, which has seen its popularity soar under RFK Jr.’s recent dietary guideline changes.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Potato chips and other food products made with the "Make America Healthy Again" approved ingredient are surging in popularity as some consumers move away from plant-based seed oils and others embrace nostalgia. Beef tallow is now entering the mainstream as major companies such as Utz and Conagra incorporate the rendered animal fat into a handful of their products.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Sales of food products with beef tallow as an ingredient surged to $1.1 billion for the 52 weeks ended March 22, up 275% from the same period three years ago, according to data firm Spins provided to Food Dive. The rise of the once-niche ingredient has gotten a major boost from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. The ingredient was thrust into the spotlight again in January when the FDA updated the national dietary guidelines to highlight beef tallow, along with butter and olive oil, as healthy fats consumers should incorporate into the foods they eat. Many smaller brands with better-for-you positioning have turned to beef tallow to differentiate themselves in the healthy foods space.