In recent years, meat has been at the center of a twofold phenomenon: value appreciation on the one hand, related to the growing popularity of protein diets, and vegetarian lifestyle and plant substitutes booming on the other hand. However, the data collected by TUTTOFOOD shows that for consumers, meat represents a food to be consumed with respect for sustainability and animal welfare. And the gourmand products and the reinterpretation of the classic cuts are also increasingly appreciated. TUTTOFOOD, from its privileged observatory, illustrates how meat today responds to consumers’ new needs.
Meats consumption: numbers worldwide
According to data from the statistics portal Statista, reported by TUTTOFOOD, the value of the world market will be close to $1.2 trillion this year and will grow by +7.8 percent per year on average in the coming years until 2027. In Europe the market is now worth more than $ 381 billion – almost a third of the world total- and it will be close to $ 500 billion by 2027.
As for Italy, a country with a centuries-old tradition in cured meats in particular, the numbers from the trade association Assica report that domestic consumption of cured meats in 2021 increased by +5.4 percent in volume, while exports grew by +15.2 percent in volume and +12 percent in value. In January-June 2022, exports rose to 95,006 tons (+4.1 percent) for sales of € 925.6 million (+9.5 percent). Cured raw hams (prosciutto) were at the forefront of the growth, but salami also performed well. Countries whose imports from Italy increased the most include France (+9.8 percent in quantity and +12.2 percent in value), Sweden (+17.1 percent and +18.6 percent) and Poland (+36.9 percent and +38.7 percent).
New trends: what the consumer is looking for and how companies respond
Certified supply chain, practicality and speed of preparation, but also delicious proposals and reinterpretation of “less valuable” cuts for new uses, such as the barbecue where these cuts are also excellent for faster cooking. This is what emerges from TUTTOFOOD interviews with some of the sector stakeholders, who were able to anticipate and interpret the new trends in meat consumption. What emerges is greater attention to the environment and healthy animal nutrition, information that must be increasingly clear on the labels. In fact, some producers have launched a sensible consumption project the Filiera Benessere Animale (Animal Welfare Chain): only Italian pigs raised without antibiotics for the past 120 days, meeting biosecurity standards. Welfare is ensured on 100% of the supply chain through DQA controls and certifications: lower density, adequate space, and calibrated nutrition plans.
There are also many new proposals, derived from huge investments in Research and Development, to make products that are convenient and quick to cook. Another boom characterizes gourmet offerings such as burgers, tartares, or dry-aged meats. Today, meat is also increasingly more and more adaptable to new uses, such as appetizers or one-dish meals. The supply chain must have a positive impact not only on animal welfare but also on the environment and this is why several producers have revisited their packaging by decreasing weight and size to avoid waste of plastic and paper.
Also the foreign producers who gave their contribution to TUTTOFOOD declared that Italy represents a receptive market for quality products and for some novelties, such as frozen gourmet burgers. To meet the needs of consumers, producers are increasingly focusing on quality and especially organic produce, but maintaining a competitive quality to price ratio with plant-based substitutes. They have introduced full traceability of every meat cut all the way to the livestock, favoring pasture-fed animals – so-called grass-fed and locally produced (zero km), with farms close to the slaughterhouses.
Meat: the Irish case
Great opportunities await Ireland at TUTTOFOOD 2023. In particular, from the Emerald Isle many high-quality products such as dairy products and spirits arrive in Europe, but meat has a prominent place in exports with values of 3.3 billion euros towards the world in the 2021, of which 2.7 to the EU. The centrality of meat is confirmed by Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board, which has announced an investment of over one million euros to promote Irish beef in the United Kingdom and in the European Union. In particular, as reported by TUTTOFOOD, the campaign will focus on the guaranteed quality of Irish steaks in the UK, Italy, Belgium and Germany, while in the Netherlands the focus will be on cuts for stews. Organic meats will instead be promoted online.
At TUTTOFOOD 2023 – at fieramilano from 8 to 11 May 2023 – the world of meat will find its natural location in the TUTTOMEAT area, at the same time enhancing the affinities of the supply chain with other sectors and insights into trends in the rich program of events.
