WILLING TON: New Zealand’s red meat sector must respond to the threat of the alternative protein market with a clear strategy, a new report commissioned by Beef + Lamb New Zealand says.
The aim of the report was to understand how the industry should respond to potential future disruption relating to alternative food sources such as plant-based proteins and cellular, lab-grown meat. It found large-scale production of burger patties and mince was likely to be a reality within five years.
Various forces were combining to drive governments, investors and consumers to look for alternatives to red meat.
They included environmental concerns relating to climate change and the ability to feed the growing world population in a sustainable way, the use of animals in food production, and the place of meat in a modern diet.
Despite those challenges, the research demonstrated there was still a strong future for New Zealand’s red meat sector.
There was untapped demand for naturally raised, grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free red meat, with consumers prepared to pay a premium for such products.
