Ham for the Holidays and Beyond

A popular tradition means deli opportunity.

As the season changes toward longer, warmer, and brighter days, the deli is ready for a rebirth of traditional ham at the center of holiday dining tables. While ham products are popular year-round as sandwich meats or on fine charcuterie boards, it occupies a traditional spot as the main course for holiday family dinners.

“There are definitely seasonal hams,” says Chris Eley, owner of Smoking Goose, Indianapolis, IN. “The spring leading up to Easter and starting in October is peak season for the fully cooked brined hams. Those are two seasons for the fully cooked brined hams.”

Pork is more popular than beef, as U.S. farmers produced 2.5 billion pounds of pork and 2.3 billion pounds of beef in 2024. Pork is the most widely consumed meat worldwide.

According to Circana Integrated Fresh Data, published in the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association’s What’s In Store 2025, service counter ham had the advantage of costing less per pound than beef, chicken, and turkey in the year ending Dec. 29, 2024.

All of the service counter meats declined in dollar sales, over the year, according to Circana data, as inflation had consumers looking for more economical alternatives.

There are opportunities serving consumers who come to the deli looking for meat to make their sandwiches special, rather than a holiday ham or charcuterie board elegant.

A STAPLE IN DELI CASE

Premium sandwich ham is a staple in the deli cold case. While the fully cooked brined ham for the holidays is the crown jewel of the category, the deli does well to offer a variety of products that are popular with consumers year-round.

“You need seven or eight ham products throughout the deli,” says Eley. “That includes fully cooked and dry-cured. Fully cooked is more volume year-round.”

Some producers believe you can get by with even fewer ham products, as long as they are quality.

“Three to four would suffice for a well-stocked deli,” says Jeremy Schaller, chief executive, Schaller & Weber, New York, NY. “A boiled ham, which is the most basic; a smoked ham, which I would recommend a Black Forest-style ham for; a specialty style, which I would recommend a French Bistro style; and of course, a dry-cured ham like a prosciutto.”

The optimum number of ham products in the cold case can vary depending on the size and customer base of the deli. “A specific number of ham products is determined by the size and scope of the retailer; an independent deli will have a different offering than a big-box store,” says Claire Flannery, senior director of marketing and media at Greenridge Naturals, Elk Grove Village, IL.

PROSCIUTTO

Prosciutto has been the king of dry-cured ham for so long that some connoisseurs may see it as passe.

“When looking at the dry-cured ham category, prosciutto has had such a long period of success, it’s become so oversaturated,” says Schaller. “This led to the trend of the Spanish styles as a new even higher premium and more interesting styles, such as the Serrano and the Iberico. More recently, more producers from France entered the market with the Jambon de Bayonne-style ham. Also, Speck products, which are essentially smoked versions of the prosciutto from northern Italy, have had a moment.”

Schaller & Weber is introducing a new dry-cured ham. “Recently, we have discovered a new product, a Westphalian-style ham, which we will be importing and distributing in the U.S. market, starting in the third quarter this year,” says Schaller. “It’s a delicate dry-cured ham very lightly smoked using Beachwood. We think this will be a distinctly unique product to the American market, and we strongly believe it has tremendous potential to sell well, especially since it’s an ultra-premium product that will come at a very reasonable price point.”

Other suppliers are also finding exciting new options in the dry-cured ham category. “We’ve seen an uptick in guanciale since late last year; that has definitely been trending,” says Eley. Guanciale is cured pork made from the jowl of the pig, which offers rich, flavorful meat.

CONVENIENCE, NUTRITION

Some producers are catering to this important convenience market. “We are currently developing our slicing capabilities to expand our ham offerings to include pre-sliced packs for those looking for convenient on-the-go options for their busy lifestyles,” says Flannery.

She advises serving a cross-section of consumers when selecting the ham offerings. “A well-stocked deli offers a range of options for the customers, including different price points from value to premium, and an array of flavors, like classic and honey hams, to more innovative flavors,” she says.

“Flavor innovation is another big trend, as consumers are looking for fun and interesting flavor cues, like honey chipotle.”
— Claire Flannery, senior director of marketing and media, Greenridge Naturals, Elk Grove Village, IL

Today’s consumer is particularly concerned with health and nutrition. “Quality and health-forward trends, including organic, no nitrates or artificial flavors, colors or fillers are big trends right now,” says Flannery. “People are health conscious and looking for top-quality deli meats, different from what their parents used to buy. This includes high-protein, and lower sodium, as well as popular certifications, including gluten-free, Whole30 and non-GMO.”

The National Pork Board promotes ham as a lean protein, saying that a 3.4-ounce serving of roasted extra-lean ham has 145 calories, 5.5 grams of fat, 21 grams of protein, 53 milligrams of cholesterol, and significant amounts of thiamin (vitamin B-1) and vitamin B-12.

“All of your cooked and pumped style hams would typically be displayed together. You may want to separate your dry-cured ham as your premium product,” advises Schaller.