Billy Roberts

Senior Economist, Food and Beverage

Billy Roberts, Senior Economist of Food and Beverage - CoBank Knowledge Exchange division

Billy Roberts is senior economist for food and beverage in CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange research division. An expert in competitive intelligence and market landscape forecasting, Mr. Roberts has more than 20 years of experience delivering actionable insights to a variety of food and beverage audiences. He came to CoBank from the consumer market research firm Mintel where he conducted qualitative and quantitative research on consumer attitudes and behaviors for an international client base of major global food and drink manufacturers, retailers, and ingredient and packaging suppliers.

Mr. Roberts previously served as executive editor of business and new media at Prepared Foods/BNP media, a food industry news and trends magazine. He holds bachelors’ degrees in English and political science from University of Mobile.

Recent Reports

All Reports

Consumer Interest in Plant-Based Meats Fades Amid High Prices and Product Shortcomings
August 2023

Sales of plant-based meats are struggling as consumers turn to lower-cost and familiar proteins amid higher prices.

The Slowdown-Resistant Economy
July 2023

Despite predictions for a slowdown, the U.S. economy remains the envy of the world. Jobs are plentiful, asset values are near all-time highs, and consumers are spending