Pork has long been established as the meat of choice in China, but its dominance is under threat. Might chicken take the top spot?
Meat consumption in China has increased steadily since the early 1990s – and China has become the largest consumer of meat in the world, chomping through almost 100 million tons of it in 2021, or 27% of the global total.
Pork still dominates the meat menu in China, according to survey results published by global consultancy company McKinsey & Company earlier this year. Fifty-seven million tons of pork were consumed in the country 2021, accounting for 60% of total consumption, and pork is included by many consumers in meals three to five times a week or even daily.
Pork, however, is under threat. Health concerns are turning some consumers away from it, and rising income levels are leading consumers to look for alternatives. These factors are contributing to greater demand, in particular, and it may come as surprise for some, for beef.
Chinese consumers, especially those affluent enough to pay more for meat, consider beef to be healthier than pork. They see its higher price as a sign of a premium product’s higher quality.
Beef is currently the third most consumed meat in the country, with 9 million tons eaten in 2021, and consumption growing by 4% per annum between 2017 and 2021. Demand is forecast to continue at 2% until 2026 outstripping the growth rate forecast for poultry.
Where does this leave poultry?
Poultry ranks at No. 2 on China’s meat menu and, with 25 million tons consumed in 2021, it is significantly ahead of beef. Like beef, it is viewed as a healthy option, and the survey found that three-quarters had bought poultry meat during the previous month.
Between 2017 and 2021, poultry meat consumption grew by 7% per year in China but, looking ahead to 2026, this annual growth rate will slow to 1%.
Pork will retain its top spot for some years to come, despite losing ground to competitor proteins. Demand for poultry, being the most affordable animal protein, is assured, but with the qualities that the Chinese attribute to beef, the marketing advantages that poultry has in some markets, may not fully play out in China.
For poultry to not lose ground, its affordability, perhaps, should begin to take a back seat. The myriad ways that poultry can be processed – preimmunized, and ensuring that poultry is available in all the right sales channels, for example, on-line, and in a way that consumers can easily understand and cook at home, may help to elevate the meat from the humble to the special, hopefully minimizing any ground that might be lost to beef.
