Trimming the fat: beef market shifts
According to the latest Rabobank Beef Quarterly report, the tide of the beef trimmings market may be changing, with Asian growth driving this shift away from the US.
As is often the case, China is the market that’s leading the pack. That’s not to say the US doesn’t still have some influence in this part of the market. The growth of beef trimmings in China has been driven by an increase in the number of American-style burger service restaurants. Rabobank reported that, in 2018, McDonald’s opened more than 300 stores in China, while the number of Burger Kings in the country has skyrocketed from 52 in 2012 to more than 900 in 2018.
Rabobank senior animal protein analyst Angus Gidley-Baird said: "The world’s largest beef importer, China, is at the centre of growth in beef trade in general, and trimmings trade specifically. Many of the cuts imported by China have been to satisfy the local cuisine. But as diets and foodservice change, this now includes a growing trend in trimmings trade.
"The growing demand for trimmings from Asian countries will create additional competition for the US, but it is not expected to shift the market yet," added Gidley-Baird. "Suppliers of trimmings into the global market should be conscious of possible changes in the trade. While steady growth is evident in the Chinese market to date, a short-term demand increase across all proteins as a result of African Swine Fever will likely cause a spike in demand for trimmings."
