Meat: An organic approach
Can buyers combine getting the best value for money with satisfying consumer demand for healthier options or do they need to spend more to do so? HN gets to the bottom of the organic meat question: what is it and is it really more beneficial for our health?
In food, the vegan/plant-based juggernaut is showing no signs of abating and this year many F&B outlets added plenty of interesting options to their product lines, especially as meat replacements gain significant market share. Both a diet and a lifestyle, individuals from all walks of life are embracing these various trends, which in recent years have seen local restaurants offering new menu items and supermarkets dedicating entire sections to satisfy this kind of demand. HN talks to industry experts to understand how this trend is affecting the current market, what the barriers to entry are and what will be some of 2019's trendiest food options.
What are some of the most striking market trends in the Middle East?
The Middle East region, specifically the food service industry, prefers U.S. beef because suppliers offering this brand guarantee that customers will walk away with a positive experience each time. We also see a demand for similar products across the region, such as ribeye, strip loins and tenderloins for steak house food service concepts. USMEF has tried to introduce new cuts into the region as well as helping to diversify the products offered from the U.S. These have excellent eating quality, but are sold at a more cost effective price point than some of the traditionally purchased cuts.
Do you have an ‘organic’ line of meat(s) and how popular are these in the region?
There are U.S. exporters who offer organic products, as well as other branded products with specific label claims i.e. natural. Currently, organic and natural production is a small percentage of the beef we produce and constitutes a small portion of total U.S. beef exports to the Middle East. However, there are companies who have found marketing channels for these products and are trying to service what is now a niche market. This product is sold at a bit of a price premium to the product normally exported into the Middle East, so growth of these products has been slow. As demand grows for these products in the region, there are exporters in the U.S. who are well positioned to take advantage of potential demand increases in the coming years.