Global poultry trends: A quick-fire look
Poultry is booming – sustainably and in the long-term. What is driving this growth, and what do customers today expect from the eggs and chicken they consume? We caught up with David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College, London, to get the latest insights. Here are three key trends that are shaping poultry markets around the globe.
"Poultry is seen as affordable, versatile, snackable – kids really love it!" says Prof. Hughes. These are some reasons that explain why chicken consumption has been roaring ahead of other meats in the past few decades. Chicken stands out as one of the most affordable meats – so is it all about the price? Not quite!
1. On a quest for adjectives
“Initially, price is a key driver for the consumption of chicken. But as incomes increase, markets fragment,” explains Prof. Hughes. “In China, for example, we can see that the chicken market has changed remarkably. Five years ago, you clearly had a mass market making up the majority of all chicken products being sold. In the past five years, though, the market has diversified extraordinarily.” What are consumers looking for today? Adjectives! “Chicken is just the noun, and there’s very little margin in the noun. It’s adjectives people are looking for: free-range, specific region, slow-growing chicken, a specific breed, vegetarian diet chicken, organic chicken, environmentally-friendly chicken. Right across the world, consumers are looking for adjectives – and they’re willing to pay for that.”
2. Climate-friendly food: A megatrend
How does our food perform on health and the environment? “In this regard, chicken performs relatively well – and very well against red meats.” Prof. Hughes believes that this will become an ever more important factor in the future. “Some companies are already listing their products’ carbon impact on packaging. Take Oatly and Quorn, for example. For chicken, with its relatively low carbon footprint compared to other meats, this trend may be a benefit.”
3. Less is more
“This trend takes us back to the adjectives: increasingly, consumers will demand food that is ‘free from.’” Antibiotic-free, hormone-free, additive-free, slavery-free, free-range, deforestation-free – these social, health, and environmental concerns are becoming more and more important to those buying chicken meat and eggs. “And consumers will progressively expect these ‘free-from’ adjectives come at a regular retail price.”
Social issues will continue to be a key trend post-COVID. Anybody working in the poultry industry should keep a close eye on these developments and adapt to changing customer demand.
What will the future of poultry look like?
“The future of chicken looks set fair!” concludes Prof. Hughes. “Global demographic change may lead to new markets opening up for poultry. Challenges to look out for will be zoonotic pandemics relating to poultry and eggs, accelerated social change, the acceptance of cell-based or plant-based meat substitutes. However, growth in meat consumption is often driven by growth in income. With people attaining higher standards of living, poultry will remain on the up and up.”
About Professor David Hughes
Professor David Hughes is an expert in food and drink marketing. He has close ties to both academia and business, is a sought-after public speaker and has an international profile. Find out more about him on his website or get in touch on Twitter!
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