Page 6 - Beef_Week

Stock Journal Beef Week | 2021
Beef stayed on plates this year

but it arrived via new channels

By SHAN GOODWIN

OR beef, changed
consumption habits
Fon the back of
COVID-19 have resulted
in channel shifting
rather than structural
change, testament to the
entrenched nature of the
product in diets both at
home and overseas.
Total consumption of
Australian beef has not
experienced change - it
continues to mirror
production.
Given the enormity of
what the global pandemic
delivered to the way people
were able to consume
food - public dining
effectively shut down
overnight - that bodes Changing consumption habits create opportunity.
strongly for the cattle
industry, prominent animal “We have also seen whereby they place other market is unlocked, even
protein analysts believe. butchers evolve into attributes above price but though pork availability
“2020 has been a fair offering new services Mr Gidley-Baird believes will improve.
test for the consumption such as home delivery, butchers will have to “It’s an encouraging
of beef and it has held supplying into foodservice work hard to retain the trend that could
its ground,” Rabobank’s and provision of meat additional business. potentially change the
Angus Gidley-Baird said. for events, re-inventing fundamentals of that
The big agribusiness packaging, selling pre- China’s new ways market for Australian
bank’s latest Beef prepared meals and selling Changed beef consumption beef,” Mr Gidley-Baird said.
Quarterly says as old more branded product,” habits in China is a Up to 60pc of beef
distribution channels Mr Gidley-Baird said. different story. consumed in China was
recover, it is likely many “For many consumers, it It’s more a case of eaten out of the home
consumers will revert was possibly more a revival movement of the needle, prior to COVID-19 but
to previous long-held of old ways rather than the Mr Gidley-Baird said. with the movement to the
habits but there will be opening of new doors but While the changes retail space, that is fast
opportunities for those there will be opportunity have come more from the coming down.
in the supply chain that now for butchers to impacts of African swine “It’s a different dynamic
have gained through this capitilise longer term. fever than from COVID-19 to our domestic market.
period to ‘lock-in’ new “The exposure to one- but both drivers were In China, it’s more of a
consumption habits. on-one conversations with important, the Rabobank progression, with new
independent butchers report said. supply chains being
Butcher boom opened consumers’ eyes As pork supplies have developed into retail
Domestically, the move to other cuts, the variety declined in China, the channels and beef
in meat sales from on offer and different price spread between beef becoming more a part
the closed or reduced experiences with beef. and pork has narrowed, of the home-cook diet,”
foodservice channels into That will encourage them making beef a more Mr Gidley-Baird said.
the retail space has been to stay but the onus will be attractive purchase. A telling sign has been the
well-documented and on the butcher make the The slowdown and performance of Australian
independent butchers new custom stick.” closure of restaurants chilled exports to China,
have been a big winner. After all, consumers and street food vendors most of which is going into
The Rabobank report developed previous habits, has forced more in-home the retail channel.
says the butchers’ which saw supermarkets consumption, and that Total Australian beef
share of the fresh meat secure an 80 per cent has accelerated the use exports to China for the
market has increased share of the fresh meat and skill sets for Chinese year-to-October were
two percentage points market, for strong consumers to prepare beef down 27pc but chilled
for several reasons: no reasons - convenience and at home. exports were up 21pc.
limit on purchases, the price being two. Rabobank takes the Chilled may be only
reduced people exposure There is talk about the view that the combined a small portion - 16pc -
with shopping at a pandemic experience drivers will continue to see of total exports but it
smaller outlet and more fostering ‘new values’ increased consumption of is a category bucking
home cooking. among food consumers beef as the home cooking the trend.
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