The appetite for meat continues to be unabated in Asia, and much of the growth is from within the region. Asian economies are finding that one of the best ways to overcome global supply chain disruptions is to trade within the region and tap into the Asian wealth basket that has grown considerably over the years.
Pakistan, for example, saw its red meat exports grow to a record USD 512 million this year, and much of its trade came from the Gulf. More importantly, this year, they made progress in developing new regional markets in Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Similarly, China has become the largest market for Kazakhstani grain and meat exports. In the first five months of this year, bilateral agricultural trade increased by 14% to USD 540 million.
Vietnam, on the other hand, is looking to diversify its import basket by adding Belarus to its list of beef importers while Russia steadily increases its pork exports to Vietnam.
A giant in regional exports, Thailand is also seeing a rebound with its processed chicken products . While its traditional markets in the West are returning, it is also building stronger foundations in Asian markets such as Singapore.
Locally, Thailand’s economic revival has encouraged small and medium sausage makers to invest in upgrading facilities and new lines , likely leading to a boom in its meat processing industry.
Flavor localization to improve market penetration
Another potential sausage market might be India, as urbanization and increasing incomes create a niche for this versatile product. Research by Viscofan India showed that more Indians would embrace sausages if they came in local flavors. For a long time, traditional breakfast and cocktail sausages failed to take off, but as Viscofan India pointed out, this might be due to the product not being localized to suit the Indian palate and needs. New recipes that incorporate sausages into local recipes have seen better success. This is an important lesson for meat processors looking to introduce novel products.
It is also a key trend that processors like Godrej Agrovet will follow as they aim to capture more of India’s frozen snack market. The company will invest more in developing new frozen chicken-based snacks, even as its joint venture with US-based Tyson Foods ends.
“The household penetration of frozen snacks in India is below 6%, indicating ample room for expansion. Hence, as we continue to focus on branded business supported by a cost-efficient live bird production system, our endeavor is to strengthen our portfolio and increase our presence across different channels,” said Balram Singh Yadav, Managing Director of Godrej Agrovet. This signals a more local approach to selling meat products in one of the biggest markets in Asia.
