Chilled Meat Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis By Type (Beef, Chicken, Pork, Goat, Others (Turkey, Lamb)), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Specialty Stores, Online Retail, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

The strong demand for ready-to-cook foods from consumers in recent years has encouraged processors to develop meat preservation solutions that provide fresh meat for a longer period with all its nutritional characteristics intact. Chilled meat is stored at 0 to 4 degrees celcius without adding any preservative to retain its texture and prevent microbial contamination and spoilage, increasing its shelf-life. The most significant reason for consumers to prefer chilled meat is its freshness and original taste. Their fast-paced hectic lifestyle has increased the demand for instantly cooking food products, which is contributing to the growth of the market.

The ongoing advancements in chilling technology that enable the better preservation of the product further drives the market growth. Technologies such as vacuum packing help in locking the original flavour beef and prevent the bacterial growth. The increasing utilization of hydrated ice sheets and food grade gel packs has improved the transportation of chilled meat. The well established supply chain network across developed markets positively impacts the growth of the chilled meat market.

The rising demand for fresh foods that are free from preservatives primarily drives the growth of the chilled meat market. Chilled meat products are minimally processed to retain the quality as of freshly cooked meat. Foods free from chemicals and preservatives are perceived to be safer as well as healthier as compared to foods with added preservatives. The trend of eating natural further drives the growth of the market. Manufacturers are focused on developing preservation techniques that enables them to supply fresh meat even after certain time period, which supports the growth of the market.

The processes used to preserve chilled meat are natural and safe. However, poorly packed chilled meat products may end up getting contaminated by pathogenic bacteria and degrade the quality of the product. The short shelf-life of chilled meat products hampers the growth of the market. The wastage rate of chilled meat is more and the wastage cost is often added into the final price of the product. The availability of alternatives such as frozen meat which are proven to retain healthy nutrients for a longer period as compared to chilled meat also act as a restraint for the growth of the market.

Key Players Covered:

Icrest International LLC, Allanasons Pvt. Ltd., Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat B.V., Arjuna Naturals LLC, JBS USA Food Company, Tyson Foods, Inc. FN Global Meat B.V., GPS Food Group, and Smithfield Foods, Inc. are the key players operating in the global chilled meat market.  

Chilled beef is expected to witness promising growth owing to the rising consumption of beef across the world. Beef is an integral part of cuisines in western regions. The increasing demand for chilled beef is also attributed the development of novel beef-based processed foods such as soups and pasta sauces. The growing demand for animal protein in human diet to maintain overall health and wellbeing supports the market growth. Increasing innovations and technological developments to enhance the chilling process that retains the originality of the product is expected to drive the growth of these segments in foreseeable years.

Supermarkets and hypermarkets segment is projected to witness robust growth owing to the better preservation and purchase convenience in these type of sales channels. Visually attractive shelves providing a range of options of meat products in such stores attract more consumer base. E-commerce is an emerging sector expected to exhibit promising growth in foreseeable years on account of the easy purchase and home delivery options.

Regional Analysis:

North America is expected to exhibit strong growth owing to the expansion of distribution channel network. Iincreasing working population in developed markets such as U.S. and Canada drives the demand for food options that can be stored for longer time and prepared instantly. The rising demand for chemical-free foods has necessitated manufacturers to use natural preservatives that do not change the organoleptic properties of chilled meat. Europe is projected to witness substantial growth attributed to the increasing research activities to develop novel techniques for preservation of chilled meat. The trend of clean-label foods in the region drives the demand for fresh meat with no artificial preservatives.

Asia Pacific is projected to exhibit promising growth owing to the increasing population entering in formal workforce & adopting busy lifestyles. The booming foodservice sector in the region drives the growth of the chilled meat market. The rapid expansion of distribution channels in developing countries such as India and China is also contributing to the growth of the market.

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• In January 2017, Arjuna Naturals,LLC launched X-tend, a complete, natural, formulation-specific preservative designed to increase chilled-meat product shelf-life and ensure food safety. This natural preservative aims to provide clean-label solution for ready-to-use meat industries.


• In April 2016, New Zealand based technology company FoodCap International Ltd developed a new meat storage capsule, a reusable bulk chilled meat handling system for buffering, storage, aging and transport of red and white meat.