Gitnux/Report 2026

Meat Packaging Industry Statistics

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Meat Packaging Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The meat packaging industry at a glance

The global meat packaging market was valued at $55.04 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach $97.49 billion by 2034, as producers balance rising demand with recyclable-packaging requirements.

$55.04B[25]
Global market size, 2025
6.61%[25]
Forecast CAGR, 2026–2034
41.29%[25]
Asia-Pacific market share, 2025
228.5 lb[100]
U.S. meat consumption per capita, 2025
Market size
The global meat packaging market was valued at $55.04 billion in 2025. A separate estimate placed the market at $12.64 billion in 2025, reflecting differences in scope and methodology between market studies.[25][101]
Forecast & CAGR
Fortune Business Insights forecasts growth from $58.42 billion in 2026 to $97.49 billion in 2034, equal to a 6.61% CAGR. Straits Research forecasts a more moderate increase from $13.04 billion in 2026 to $16.70 billion in 2034, or 3.14% CAGR.[25][101]
Market share & regions
Asia-Pacific accounted for 41.29% of the global meat packaging market in 2025, according to Fortune Business Insights. The U.S. market is forecast to reach $14.02 billion by 2032 in the same study.[25]
Segmentation
Market studies segment meat packaging by material, technology, product type and meat type. Common technologies include modified-atmosphere packaging, vacuum skin packaging and vacuum thermoforming; product formats include bags and pouches, films and laminates, and trays.[25][101]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Sustainability and shelf-life performance are major development priorities. In May 2026, Amcor reported a paper-based modified-atmosphere fresh-meat tray that replaces a traditional polypropylene tray with a paper outer shell and stretch film, while the EU packaging regulation requires all packaging to be recyclable by 2030.[31][102]
Consumer behavior & competition
U.S. red-meat and poultry consumption was forecast at 228.5 pounds per person in 2025, including 118.5 pounds of poultry and 110.1 pounds of red meat. Chicken was projected to reach 102.7 pounds of per-capita availability in 2025, making it the most-consumed animal product in the United States.[100]
M&A
Packaging consolidation has included Amcor’s $24.7 billion acquisition of Berry Global, announced in November 2024, and Sonoco’s $3.9 billion acquisition of Eviosys in December 2024. In meat processing and distribution, Premium Brands acquired Denmark Foods for $21.0 million in March 2025, according to a transaction report.[103][32]
Regulation
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 applies from August 12, 2026 and introduces requirements covering recyclability, recycled content, waste prevention and labeling. The regulation also establishes a 70% recycling-rate target for all packaging waste by 2030, while restricting harmful substances in food-contact packaging.[102][104]
Latest news
On May 18, 2026, Amcor announced that its paper-based modified-atmosphere fresh-meat packaging solution won a WorldStar Global Packaging Award. The design separates paper and plastic components after use and was developed with a Chinese meat producer.[31]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Meat Packaging Industry

The leading companies in the meat packaging industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Amcor leads Gitnux's 2026 meat packaging ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with revenue growth 57%, operating margin 8.1%, R&D 0.72% of revenue. GEA is the highest-ranked systems integrator at 8.9, with revenue growth 1.4% and operating margin 11.5%.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in flexible packaging films

    Amcor

    CH

    Ranked #1 · 9.4 · Flexible packaging films

    Why we picked it: It reports paper-based modified-atmosphere fresh-meat trays and a 60% plastic reduction claim.

    See in ranking ↓Visit amcor.com ↗

  2. Leader in food-processing packaging lines

    GEA

    DE

    Ranked #2 · 8.9 · Food-processing packaging lines

    Why we picked it: It builds food-processing and packaging lines that cover meat applications.

    See in ranking ↓Visit gea.com ↗

  3. Leader in vacuum and tray machinery

    MULTIVAC

    DE

    Ranked #3 · 8.9 · Vacuum and tray machinery

    Why we picked it: It supplies thermoforming and tray-sealing systems used with gas mixing, gas analysis, labelling and printing.

    See in ranking ↓Visit multivac.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the meat packaging industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Amcor

Flexible packaging films · CH

9.4
2

GEA

Food-processing packaging lines · DE

8.9
3

MULTIVAC

Vacuum and tray machinery · DE

8.9
4

ProAmpac

Fresh-meat packaging supply · US

8.6
5

Mondi

Barrier flexible packaging · GB

8.4
6

Sealed Air

Cryovac meat packaging and equipment, global · US

8.4
7

ULMA Packaging

Food-packaging machinery, Spain and global · ES

8.3
8

Winpak

Protein packaging films, trays and machinery · CA

7.7
9

Cascades

Fresh-food and sustainable meat packaging, North America · CA

7.7
10

Coveris

Flexible films and packaging for meat and food · AT

7.4

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the meat packaging industry. In Meat Packaging Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/meat-packaging-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Revenue of the largest meat packaging companies

Amcor leads with $23.0B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).

Amcor$23.0B
Mondi$8.0B
GEA$5.9B
Sealed Air$5.4B
MULTIVAC$1.7B
Coveris$658M
source-verifiedamcor.com · mondigroup.com · cdn.gea.com · jobs.sealedair.com · multivac.com · coveris.com2026

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI, IoT and digital integrations appear as measurable throughput inputs: 200 meat products per minute in logistics applications and 750–1,400 items per hour in distribution centres.

AI in the meat packaging industry

  • 200 meat products per minute is the reported packing capacity of AI-aided robots in meat-industry logistics applications, 2025, international.[1]
  • 20 peer-reviewed studies were analyzed in a 2026 review of AI, IoT and digital technologies for multifunctional meat packaging, 2026, international.[2]
  • 750–1,400 items per hour is the reported pick rate for AI-aided industrial robots handling meat products in distribution centres, 2025, international.[1]
  • 1,400 items per hour is the upper reported pick rate for AI-aided robots selecting and retrieving packaged meat products, 2025, international.[1]

Automation in the meat packaging industry

  • 52% of surveyed food and beverage companies reported using robots, including meat, sausage and poultry businesses, 2020, international.[3]
  • 11 surveyed companies reported using two robots, 2020, international food and beverage industry including meat and poultry.[3]
  • 7 surveyed companies reported using 11–20 robots, 2020, international food and beverage industry including meat and poultry.[3]
  • 42 surveyed companies reported using one robot, the largest single category in the DLG food-robotics survey, 2020, international.[3]
  • 48% of surveyed food and beverage companies reported using no robots, 2020, international.[3]
  • 10 surveyed companies reported using 21–30 robots, 2020, international food and beverage industry including meat and poultry.[3]

Digital Transformation in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 28% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals reported positive effects from digital transformation technologies on food-safety preventive controls in 2024.[4]
  • 34% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals said manufacturing process or assembly had been positively affected by digital transformation technologies in 2024.[4]
  • 82% of food and beverage leaders said technology adoption was a strategic priority, while 6% reported fully integrated digital systems, in a 2025 survey.[5]
  • 40% of 423 food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their organization’s biggest operational barrier in 2026.[5]

Technology Adoption in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 31% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in robotics or robotic process automation in 2025.[4]
  • 22% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in machine-learning software in 2025.[4]
  • 50% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in artificial intelligence as part of their 2025 digital-transformation strategies.[4]
  • 23% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in mobile-app technologies in 2025.[4]

Cloud Computing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 39.5% of EU enterprises in accommodation and food-service activities used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[6]
  • 18% of food manufacturers were already using cloud-based manufacturing-execution systems, while 51% planned implementation, according to a 2025 industry survey.[7]
  • 52% of food processors and manufacturers were considering cloud technology, while 45% reported no cloud use, in a 2023 industry survey.[8]
  • 30% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in cloud computing or enterprise resource-planning software and systems in 2025.[4]

Big Data in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 47% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals identified gathering, analyzing, and leveraging data for data-driven decisions as a digital-transformation investment driver in 2024.[4]
  • 13% of food manufacturers were already using advanced-analytics or big-data platforms, while 44% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[7]
  • 35% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in big data and real-time analytics in 2025.[4]
  • 24% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with advanced analytics, while 34% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[9]

Blockchain in the meat packaging industry

  • 99.9% of meat-and-poultry records had blockchain-verified origins in the reported framework, 2025, international dataset.[10]
  • 240 grower partners were connected by a permissioned-blockchain traceability system in a food-packing case study, 2026, international sourcing network.[11]
  • $115 million in additional sales by 2025 was the projected opportunity associated with Australian beef blockchain labelling, 2021, Australia and Southeast Asian export markets.[12]
  • 7 days to 2.2 seconds was the reported reduction in provenance-tracing time in Walmart’s blockchain food trial, 2018, United States and China supply chains.[13]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Benchmarking and reporting scale is a central theme: 2026 dashboards let participating meat companies compare performance at company and plant levels in North America.

Business intelligence in the meat packaging industry

  • 2026 reporting dashboards let participating meat companies compare performance at company, establishment and industry-aggregate levels in North America.[14]
  • 2026 Power BI reporting enables meat companies to sort benchmark data by metric and plant location.[14]
  • 2024 data covered 481 North American meat-processing establishments, equal to 54% of establishments operated by Meat Institute members.[14]
  • 2026 reporting data can be viewed by protein type, company size and customer segment by participating meat companies.[14]
  • 2026 reporting reduced the Meat Institute’s data-entry workload from more than 500 metrics to approximately 50.[14]
  • 2024 data reporting showed that 100% of Meat Institute executive-board officers submitted data.[14]

Data analytics in the meat packaging industry

  • Two digitally integrated tools were planned for red-meat plants to automate in-line production decisions in Australia’s 2025–2026 program.[15]
  • 44% of food manufacturers reported widespread use of digital traceability and automated lot tracking, including meat, poultry and seafood manufacturers, in 2025.[16]
  • 14% of surveyed food manufacturers were from the meat, poultry and seafood industry in 2025, providing the sector representation for traceability analysis.[16]
  • 96% accuracy was reported for an artificial-intelligence model identifying carcass regions in meat-processing research.[17]
  • More than 10% annual growth was projected for the fish, meat and seafood segment of food-traceability technology from 2024 to 2032.[18]
  • Three technology categories—artificial intelligence, machine learning and sensing—were specified for production-management analytics in Australian red-meat plants in 2025–2026.[15]

Data Quality in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 77% of retail and consumer-products companies identified improving data quality as a priority in 2023.[19]
  • 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data timeliness as important in 2018.[20]
  • 7.0 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data completeness as important in 2018.[20]
  • 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data accuracy as important in 2018.[20]
  • 22% of consumer-products companies reported that businesses lacked trust in data quality and validity in 2024.[21]
  • 6.6 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data consistency as important in 2018.[20]

Data Governance in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 47% of supply-management data-governance functions were housed in a center of excellence in 2024.[22]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[22]
  • 22% of consumer-products companies planned to increase investment in data infrastructure and governance over the following 12 months in 2024.[21]
  • 90% of supply-management organizations agreed or strongly agreed that data governance was necessary in 2024.[22]
  • 43% of consumer-products companies reported struggling to establish the right level of data governance in 2024.[21]
  • 81% of supply-management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[22]

KPIs in the meat packaging industry

  • 16% productivity improvement was achieved in the same U.S. meat-processor case study after implementing planning and performance-review meetings.[23]
  • 89% of reporting meat establishments had embedded food safety into company culture through communications and initiatives in 2024.[14]
  • 1% yield improvement was achieved in a U.S. meat-processor case study through performance tracking and process-management changes.[23]
  • 88% of reporting meat establishments conducted an accredited third-party food-safety audit at least annually in 2024.[14]
  • 75% reduction in workplace injuries was achieved by the meat industry from 1999 to 2019, according to the Meat Institute’s benchmark framework.[14]
  • 0.8% yield loss was attributed to packaging giveaway in a U.S. meat-processor case study.[23]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Sustainability and shelf-life performance tie directly to commercial experiments, with an 8–10 days shelf-life delivery reported for Amcor’s Fresh Tray in 2026.

Growth in the meat packaging industry

  • 1.0% per year is the forecast growth rate for U.S. meat, poultry and seafood packaging unit demand through 2028.[24]
  • $97.49 billion is the projected global meat packaging market size for 2034.[25]
  • $58.42 billion is the projected global meat packaging market size for 2026.[25]
  • $55.04 billion was the global meat packaging market size in 2025.[25]
  • 40% was the immediate growth achieved on Alpha Meat Packers’ thermoforming line after installing MULTIVAC equipment in Canada.[26]
  • $9.6 billion was the U.S. meat, poultry and seafood packaging market in 2024.[27]

Differentiation in the meat packaging industry

  • 21 deli-meat SKUs were tested by US Foods and Sealed Air when selecting Grip & Tear packaging.[28]
  • 93% recyclable is the certification level stated for Mondi’s Mono-PP WalletPack used for sliced meat products in Sweden.[29]
  • 12% is the maximum MXD6 barrier-resin loading identified as recyclable in the polypropylene stream for food packaging.[30]
  • 60% less plastic is used by Amcor’s paper-based Fresh Tray compared with traditional plastic trays for fresh meat in China.[31]
  • 3 protein Metro Deli SKUs had transitioned to Sealed Air Grip & Tear bags at US Foods when the case study was published.[28]
  • 30% lower carbon emissions are reported for Amcor’s Fresh Tray compared with traditional plastic trays for fresh meat in China.[31]

Mergers and acquisitions in the meat packaging industry

  • 1 acquisition was completed when E.W. Grobbel Sons acquired Freirich Foods in the United States in November 2024.[32]
  • 250% was the year-over-year increase in branded-meat add-on acquisitions in year-to-date 2024.[33]
  • 1 acquisition was completed when Premium Brands Holding acquired National Steak Processors in the United States in December 2024.[32]
  • 1 acquisition was completed when Miami Beef Company acquired Best Provision Company in New Jersey in April 2025.[32]
  • $21.0 million was the reported value of Premium Brands Holding’s acquisition of Denmark Foods in the United States.[32]
  • 1 acquisition was completed when Moesle Meat Distribution and Shore Capital Partners acquired ERB Meat Company in Illinois in February 2025.[32]

Strategic partnerships in the meat packaging industry

  • 4 equipment and packaging capabilities were integrated in MULTIVAC’s minced-meat line: gas mixing, gas analysis, labelling and printing.[26]
  • 2 companies, Sealed Air and Shenandoah Valley Organic, collaborated on Darfresh tray-skin vacuum packaging for organic chicken.[28]
  • 3 companies collaborated with Amcor on the Fresh Tray project for Chinese fresh meat: Zhongrun Changjiang, Yuto and MULTIVAC.[31]
  • 2 companies, Sealed Air and Butterball Foodservice, collaborated on clipless vertical pouch packaging for ground turkey.[28]
  • 2 companies, Amcor and Oakpark, collaborated on lighter bacon packaging for the Irish market.[31]
  • 4 organizations collaborated on Sealed Air’s closed-loop flexible-packaging project involving Tesco, Plastic Energy, SABIC and Bradburys Cheese.[28]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce coverage and safety metrics stay prominent, with Tyson Foods’ total recordable incident rate at 2.27 per 100 team members in fiscal 2025.

Hiring in the meat packaging industry

  • 20,850 helpers of production workers were employed in U.S. animal slaughtering and processing in May 2024.[34]
  • 18,370 general maintenance and repair workers were employed in U.S. animal slaughtering and processing in May 2024.[34]
  • 102,690 meat, poultry and fish cutters and trimmers were employed in U.S. animal slaughtering and processing in May 2024.[34]
  • 18,990 hand packers and packagers were employed in U.S. animal slaughtering and processing in May 2024.[34]
  • 38,430 laborers and freight, stock and material movers were employed in U.S. animal slaughtering and processing in May 2024.[34]

Employee retention in the meat packaging industry

  • 4 work-related fatalities were reported by Tyson Foods in fiscal 2025.[35]
  • 40% was the reduction in employee turnover reported by Greater Omaha Packing after implementing recognition and safety-culture programs.[36]
  • 2.27 was Tyson Foods’ total recordable incident rate per 100 team members in fiscal 2025.[35]
  • 0.59 was Tyson Foods’ lost-time incident rate per 100 team members in fiscal 2025.[35]
  • 63% was the average staff turnover rate across Australia’s meat-processing industry in the period studied by AMPC.[15]

Remote Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • U.S. accommodation and food-services firms averaged 0.1 work-from-home days per week from November 2024 through January 2025.[37]
  • In U.S. accommodation and food services, 1.7% of employees were able to work fully remotely in 2024.[38]
  • Among food-sector career starters globally, 36% were fully site-based during their first two years of work, according to a 2024 survey.[39]
  • Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% let employees choose to work in-person or remotely in 2025, while 73% require in-person work.[40]

Hybrid Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among food-sector career starters globally, 27% worked in a hybrid arrangement during their first two years, according to a 2024 survey.[39]
  • In U.S. restaurant and bar businesses, 12% offered employees a choice between in-person and remote work in 2025.[40]
  • Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% offered employees the option to work in-person or remotely in 2025.[40]
  • In 2025, 80% of hospitality and food-services employers said they were still struggling to get the balance right with hybrid working.[41]

Upskilling in the meat packaging industry

  • 10 hours was the minimum annual compliance, occupational-safety and food-safety training completed by Tyson Foods frontline team members in fiscal 2025.[35]
  • 126,000 Tyson Foods team members completed code-of-conduct training in fiscal 2025.[35]
  • 60 hours was Tyson Foods’ average training and development time per full-time-equivalent employee in fiscal 2025.[35]
  • 900 union members received digital and soft-skills training through a Canadian mid-career meat-processing project.[42]
  • $589 was Tyson Foods’ average training and development spend per full-time-equivalent employee in fiscal 2025.[35]

Employee Engagement in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food-and-beverage organizations scored 7.91 out of 10 for employee engagement in the latest 2026 benchmark dataset.[43]
  • Food-service employees recorded 72.6% engagement in 2026, up 9.1 percentage points from the prior measurement.[44]
  • Globally, 21% of employees were engaged in 2025, providing an economy-wide benchmark relevant where food-and-beverage-specific engagement data are limited.[45]
  • Among U.S. and Canadian frontline employees surveyed in 2024, 52% worked in foodservice, in a sample of 46,250 employees used to assess workplace engagement.[46]

DEI in the meat packaging industry

  • 39% of Tyson Foods’ global workforce were women in fiscal 2024.[47]
  • 68.6% of U.S. laborers and freight, stock and material movers in meatpacking were people of color in the cited workforce profile.[48]
  • 23% of board-level director roles in the global meat industry were held by women in 2023.[49]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Consumer packaging preferences show up in adoption signals, including 70% of Australian consumers choosing vacuum-sealed meat for staying fresher for longer in 2025 research.

Customer experience in the meat packaging industry

  • 91% of U.S. consumers reported a satisfying experience eating beef in 2023.[50]
  • 83% of consumers ranked intelligent packaging stickers as their top sticker choice in a Minnesota fresh-beef packaging study.[51]
  • 73% of Australian respondents said a medium-visibility meat package looked like good quality in 2025 testing.[52]
  • 94% of surveyed Minnesota meat-processor customers were very satisfied with existing package-size options in 2018.[53]
  • 70% of Australian consumers said vacuum-sealed meat stayed fresher for longer, according to 2025 packaging research.[52]

Customer retention in the meat packaging industry

  • 33% of consumers in the same survey preferred multitrack press-to-close zippers for multi-portion meat products.[54]
  • 76% of Australian consumers considered price a poor indicator of lamb quality, making packaging information important for retention.[55]
  • 38% of Australian beef buyers had difficulty finding and buying the quality they sought, a barrier to repeat purchasing.[55]
  • 53% of Australian lamb buyers had difficulty telling which of two uncooked pieces would be more tender.[55]
  • 38% of consumers in the same survey preferred slider-zipper resealable packaging for multi-portion meat products.[54]

Customer acquisition in the meat packaging industry

  • 44% of consumers included beef in their online grocery carts in December 2021.[50]
  • 53% of U.S. consumers ranked beef above chicken, pork and meat alternatives for social gatherings and special occasions in 2023.[50]
  • 25% of consumers who included beef in online carts had done so within the previous month in December 2021.[50]
  • 60% of U.S. consumers aged 18–44 used recipes at least weekly in 2023, indicating an acquisition opportunity for recipe-led meat packaging.[50]
  • 37% of consumers prioritized pre-portioned bulk meat packaging in 2025 meat-retail research.[28]

Customer loyalty in the meat packaging industry

  • 50.6% of connected-packaging professionals said the technology provides actionable data for marketing and product decisions in 2025.[56]
  • 88.8% of connected-packaging respondents expected the technology to become increasingly important over the following 12 months in 2025.[56]
  • 86% of Australian consumers were likely to buy the low-visibility meat package in 2025 testing.[52]
  • 34% of Australian consumers preferred vacuum packs with cardboard trays in 2025 packaging research.[52]
  • 23% of Australian consumers preferred vacuum packs without trays in 2025 packaging research.[52]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Packaging perception and trust signals cluster around vacuum attributes: 70% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers preferred vacuum-sealed packaging in 2025.

Marketing in the meat packaging industry

  • 70% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers preferred vacuum-sealed packaging because it keeps meat fresher for longer in 2025.[52]
  • 66% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use product packaging or displays to learn about relevant companies in 2024.[57]
  • 86% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers were likely to buy the tested low-visibility package in 2025.[52]
  • 89% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers were likely to buy the tested mid-visibility package in 2025.[52]
  • 44% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility learn about companies through friends and family in 2024.[57]

Digital marketing in the meat packaging industry

  • 18% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use online forums to learn about relevant companies in 2024.[57]
  • 40% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use search-engine results to learn about relevant companies in 2024.[57]
  • 71.4% of Missouri meat-processing and slaughtering businesses used their own business websites to promote meat products and services in 2019.[58]
  • 27% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use brand or company websites to learn about relevant companies in 2024.[57]
  • 25% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use environmental-topic websites to learn about relevant companies in 2024.[57]

Branding in the meat packaging industry

  • 18% of U.S. meat sales were private-label brands in 2023.[59]
  • 68% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers said the tested low-visibility package looked like good quality in 2025.[52]
  • 23% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers preferred vacuum packs without trays in 2025.[52]
  • 57% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers said the tested mid-visibility package looked fresh in 2025.[52]
  • 34% of Australian beef and lamb shoppers preferred vacuum packs with cardboard trays in 2025.[52]

Social media in the meat packaging industry

  • 21% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use influencer or celebrity social-media posts to learn about companies in 2024.[57]
  • 90% of Missouri meat-processing and slaughtering businesses rated Facebook pages effective or very effective at driving sales in 2019.[58]
  • 29% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use posts from friends, family or professional networks to learn about companies in 2024.[57]
  • More than 80% of Missouri meat-processing and slaughtering businesses rated email messages effective or very effective at driving sales in 2019.[58]
  • 18% of U.S. chicken consumers whose purchases are influenced by corporate responsibility use advertisements in their social-media feeds to learn about companies in 2024.[57]

Influencer Marketing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 63% of U.S. food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a prepackaged product based on an online influencer’s recommendation in the previous year, according to a June 2025 survey.[60]
  • 69.3% of TikTok videos featuring branded food or beverage products had no brand-relationship disclosure, based on an analysis of 648 videos published in 2025.[61]
  • 82% of U.S. Gen Z food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a prepackaged product based on an online influencer’s recommendation in the previous year, according to a June 2025 survey.[60]
  • 33% of U.S. food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a product from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand such as Prime or Feastables in the previous year, in 2025.[60]
  • 49% of U.S. millennial food and beverage shoppers said they purchased from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand in the previous year, according to a 2025 survey.[60]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Production and utilization metrics quantify execution capacity, including WH Group’s 83.2% packaged-meat capacity utilization in North America in 2025.

Process optimization in the meat packaging industry

  • 155,000 head per week was Tyson Foods’ beef-segment capacity in 2024 across 12 U.S. facilities.[62]
  • 83.2% was WH Group’s packaged-meat capacity utilization in North America in 2025.[63]
  • 74 million pounds per week was Tyson Foods’ prepared-foods capacity in 2024 across 37 U.S. facilities.[62]
  • 60% was the finished-meat yield targeted by Meat Processing Plant A in a 2025 U.S. processor case study.[64]
  • 421,000 head per week was Tyson Foods’ pork-segment capacity in 2024 across six U.S. facilities.[62]

Operational efficiency in the meat packaging industry

  • 138,000 team members were employed globally by Tyson Foods on September 28, 2024.[35]
  • 1.68 was Smithfield Foods’ days-away, restricted-work or transfer rate in 2023.[65]
  • 35 food-science professionals comprised Smithfield Foods’ in-house research and development team in 2024.[65]
  • 114,000 Tyson Foods team members worked at U.S. non-corporate sites in 2024, including production facilities and warehouses.[35]
  • 77% was Tyson Foods’ workforce retention rate in the latest year shown in its 2025 environmental and social data.[35]

Quality management in the meat packaging industry

  • More than 8 million pounds of meat and poultry products were recalled in the United States in 2024.[66]
  • 7 product-control incidents, including recalls, detention or seizure, followed USDA FSIS complaint investigations in 2024.[66]
  • 8 beef recalls were recorded by USDA FSIS in the United States in 2024.[66]
  • 13 poultry recalls were recorded by USDA FSIS in the United States in 2024.[66]
  • 13 pork recalls were recorded by USDA FSIS in the United States in 2024.[66]

Supply chain in the meat packaging industry

  • 97.4% was WH Group’s hog-processing-capacity utilization in North America in 2025.[63]
  • 6 pork facilities gave Tyson Foods weekly capacity of 421,000 head in the United States in 2024.[62]
  • 169 chicken facilities gave Tyson Foods weekly capacity of 42 million head in the United States in 2024.[62]
  • 28.76 kilograms of packaging were used per 1,000 kilograms of dressed carcass during the beef-harvest phase in 2024–2025.[10]
  • 6.65 million hogs was WH Group’s annual processing capacity in Europe in 2025.[63]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 55% outsourced more manufacturing in 2023 than three years earlier, according to a survey of 287 industry leaders.[67]
  • Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 75% used at least some co-manufacturing resources in 2023.[67]
  • Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 47% worked with up to 10 co-manufacturers in 2023.[67]
  • Among United States and European food-services and facility-management buyers, 91% expected outsourcing budgets to increase over the five years following 2024.[68]
  • Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 36% used co-manufacturers for finished-product manufacturing in 2023.[67]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing pressure and cost actions are quantified through price realization and margins, including Sealed Air Food’s adjusted EBITDA margin of 22.5% in 2024.

Pricing strategy in the meat packaging industry

  • 74% of Winpak’s flexible packaging products were protected by price-indexing arrangements linked to raw-material costs.[69]
  • 84% of Winpak’s flexible lidding products were covered by price-indexing arrangements matching material-cost changes with selling-price adjustments.[69]
  • 1.7% is the expected annual increase in average U.S. meat, poultry and seafood packaging prices from 2024 through 2028.[27]
  • Approximately $4 million was Sealed Air Food’s unfavorable 2024 net price realization after comparing year-over-year price changes with inflation in direct materials, freight, labor and other costs.[70]
  • $43 million was Sealed Air’s unfavorable 2024 net price realization in the Protective segment, reflecting pricing below inflationary cost changes.[70]

Cost reduction in the meat packaging industry

  • $7.2 million was Sealed Air’s restructuring charge related to headcount reductions in the third quarter of 2024.[71]
  • More than $100 million was Sealed Air’s annualized savings run rate from its cost-transformation measures by mid-2024.[72]
  • $140 million to $160 million was Sealed Air’s expected total cost of its three-year CTO2Grow program.[71]
  • Approximately $90 million was Sealed Air’s targeted year-over-year cost savings for 2024 from productivity and cost-transformation measures.[72]
  • $89 million was Sealed Air’s incremental cost savings from cost-takeout initiatives in 2024.[70]

Profitability in the meat packaging industry

  • $1.092 billion was Sealed Air Food’s segment gross profit in 2024.[70]
  • $3.583 billion was Sealed Air Food’s net sales in 2024.[70]
  • 22.5% was Sealed Air Food’s adjusted EBITDA margin in 2024.[73]
  • 19.4 pence was Hilton Food Group’s adjusted operating profit per kilogram of packed food sold in 2024.[35]
  • 13.6% was Smithfield Foods’ 2024 adjusted operating profit margin in its Packaged Meats segment.[65]

Financial planning in the meat packaging industry

  • 2.5% per year is the forecast growth rate for U.S. meat, poultry and seafood packaging market value through 2028.[24]
  • 3.6 times was Sealed Air’s net leverage ratio at the end of 2024.[70]
  • 62.1 billion units is the forecast U.S. demand for meat, poultry and seafood packaging in 2028.[24]
  • €367.695 million was Coveris’ 2024 revenue from its Flexibles business unit, which primarily serves food and other packaging markets.[74]
  • $5.393 billion was Sealed Air’s total net sales in 2024 across Food and Protective packaging.[70]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Packaging performance claims are tied to measurable outcomes, including 8–10 days shelf life for Fresh Tray in 2026 and oxygen-transmission-rate testing ranges in 2026.

Product development in the meat packaging industry

  • 80% less plastic was reported for Chiola’s new fresh-meat packaging developed with Amcor in Italy in 2021.[31]
  • 80% energy savings were reported for Chiola’s redesigned fresh-meat packaging in Italy in 2021.[31]
  • 68% lower carbon emissions were reported for Chiola’s redesigned fresh-meat packaging in Italy in 2021.[31]
  • 8–10 days of shelf life were delivered by Amcor’s Fresh Tray fresh-meat packaging solution in China in 2026.[31]
  • 60% less plastic and 30% lower carbon emissions were targeted by Amcor’s Fresh Tray compared with conventional plastic trays for fresh meat in China in 2026.[31]

Product lifecycle in the meat packaging industry

  • 30% minimum carbon-footprint reduction was claimed for vacuum-skin packaging versus MAP when food-waste effects were included in 2025.[28]
  • 50% less food waste was claimed for Darfresh on Tray versus MAP for fresh red meat in Sealed Air’s 2025 comparison.[28]
  • 40–50 cm³/(m²·day) was the high oxygen-transmission-rate range tested for chilled beef heat-shrinkable packaging in 2026.[10]
  • 20–30 cm³/(m²·day) was the medium oxygen-transmission-rate range tested for chilled beef heat-shrinkable packaging in 2026.[10]
  • 10–20 cm³/(m²·day) was the low oxygen-transmission-rate range tested for chilled beef heat-shrinkable packaging in 2026.[10]

After-sales in the meat packaging industry

  • $55 was the average selling price per machine part or replacement component in fiscal 2024, down from $73 in fiscal 2023.[75]
  • 40% growth in food-packaging-machine customers was reported by a packaging-equipment company, from 207 in fiscal 2023 to 290 in fiscal 2024.[75]
  • 9,804 machine parts and replacement components were sold in fiscal 2024, up from 5,562 in fiscal 2023, according to the company’s filing.[75]
  • $536,249 in machine-parts and replacement-component revenue was reported for fiscal 2024 by the food-packaging-equipment company.[75]
  • 1,000-plus specialists support MULTIVAC customers worldwide across packaging-line advice, training, maintenance and adaptation services, according to its current services page.[26]

Value proposition in the meat packaging industry

  • Nearly 1.0% annual unit growth was forecast for U.S. meat, poultry and seafood packaging through 2028.[27]
  • 52% of U.S. meat-eaters said they try to make environmentally responsible choices, including sustainable food choices and recycling, in FMI’s 2023 research.[76]
  • 96% of Italian consumers in Amcor’s survey checked packaging-recyclability instructions in 2022.[31]
  • 64% of U.S. flexitarians said they try to make environmentally responsible choices in FMI’s 2023 research.[76]
  • 2.5% annual value growth was forecast for U.S. meat, poultry and seafood packaging through 2028.[27]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Recycled-content and carbon reduction figures are reported alongside compliance outcomes, including a 76% reduction in mince-packaging weight achieved with flow-wrap technology.

Sustainability in the meat packaging industry

  • 76% of Hilton Foods’ meat trays were made from 100% recycled PET in 2021 globally.[77]
  • 12% was the reduction in JBS USA packaging material per ton of finished product in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada from 2019 to 2021.[78]
  • 21% was the average post-consumer recycled content of Inalca’s plastic packaging in 2023.[79]
  • 73% was the reduction in plastic content achieved in mince packaging at Hilton Foods Holland using flow-wrap technology.[77]
  • 74% was the reduction in mince-packaging weight achieved at Hilton Foods Holland using flow-wrap technology.[77]

ESG in the meat packaging industry

  • 40% was the reduction in packaging-related carbon footprint reported for JBS USA’s U.S. packaging initiatives from 2019 to 2021.[78]
  • 22% of Beyond Meat’s U.S. hard and flexible plastic packaging by weight contained recycled material in 2024.[80]
  • More than two-thirds of Beyond Meat’s U.S. retail-channel products sold in 2024 included How2Recycle labeling.[80]
  • 6% of Beyond Meat’s total U.S. packaging by weight contained recycled material in 2024.[80]
  • 35% was the minimum post-consumer recycled-plastic content specified for Beyond Meat’s redesigned European and UK retail trays piloted from 2025.[80]

Ethics in the meat packaging industry

  • Zero product recalls were reported across Smithfield Foods’ U.S. operations in each of 2023, 2024 and 2025.[81]
  • ISO Technical Specification 34700 compliance was achieved by Smithfield Foods for animal-welfare management in 2025.[81]
  • More than 2,000 food-safety professionals were employed by Tyson Foods globally, according to its cited response.[82]
  • 56% was the improvement in Pilgrim’s Europe’s Safety Index reported by JBS from 2020 to 2021.[78]
  • 2% was the increase in Pilgrim’s Europe’s DART rate reported by JBS from 2020 to 2021.[78]

CSR in the meat packaging industry

  • Zero product recalls were recorded across Smithfield Foods’ U.S. operations in 2025.[81]
  • Zero product recalls were recorded across Smithfield Foods’ U.S. operations in 2024.[81]
  • More than 2,000 food-safety professionals were employed by Tyson Foods to support food safety testing and research.[82]
  • ISO Technical Specification 34700 compliance was reported by Smithfield Foods for animal-welfare management in 2025.[81]
  • Zero product recalls were recorded across Smithfield Foods’ U.S. operations in 2023.[81]

Circular economy in the meat packaging industry

  • 400 tonnes of plastic were estimated to be saved annually by Hilton Foods through thinner vacuum-sealed trays.[77]
  • 100% recyclable was the certification achieved for one Inalca PET meat-packaging product sold in Germany and Austria.[79]
  • 76% of Hilton Foods’ meat trays were made from 100% recycled PET in 2021.[77]
  • 55 million black meat trays were being replaced for Danish Crown in Denmark in 2024 with recyclable green trays.[83]
  • 90% was the minimum recycled content of the green meat trays introduced for Danish Crown in Denmark in 2024.[83]

Carbon footprint in the meat packaging industry

  • 45,000 kilograms of paper were saved annually by Inalca through reusable cores for film spools.[79]
  • 400 tonnes of plastic were estimated to be avoided annually by Hilton Foods through a 25% reduction in vacuum-sealed tray thickness.[77]
  • 49% was the estimated reduction in the carbon footprint of fresh-meat packaging when recycled PET/PE trays were replaced with PLA trays in a packaging-unit assessment.[84]
  • 12% was the reduction in JBS USA packaging material per ton of finished product from 2019 to 2021 in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.[78]
  • 168,000 kilograms of plastic were saved annually by Inalca by switching selected sliced-meat trays from plastic to barrier paper.[79]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Export and supplier-network reach are quantified, with JBS export revenue at US$20 billion in 2024 and 127 countries receiving BRF products.

Globalization in the meat packaging industry

  • 21.9% was the increase in BRF export net sales in 2024, reaching R$29.839 billion.[75]
  • US$20 billion was JBS’s export revenue in 2024, up 8.6% from 2023.[75]
  • 127 countries received BRF products in 2024.[94]
  • 280,000+ people formed JBS’s global workforce in 2024 across its international meat and food operations.[93]
  • 22.6% of JBS exports went to Greater China in 2024.[75]

Cultural adaptation in the meat packaging industry

  • 90% of Americans familiar with halal reported familiarity with Animal Welfare Approved labels.[95]
  • Less than 3 kg was the preferred package size among a dedicated-big-family halal-meat segment in Norway.[96]
  • 97% of Americans familiar with halal were familiar with kosher labels in IFANCA’s consumer survey.[95]
  • 110 NOK per kilogram was the preferred price among the Norwegian big-family halal-meat segment preferring 3–5 kg packages.[96]
  • 66% of Americans unfamiliar with halal reported familiarity with Animal Welfare Approved labels.[95]

Supplier management in the meat packaging industry

  • 124 suppliers had business relationships with Mercuries F&B’s central kitchen in 2025.[35]
  • 96% of Mercuries F&B’s central-kitchen suppliers were domestic in 2025.[35]
  • 95% of Mercuries F&B’s total supplier-procurement expenditure was covered by the reported 2025 scope.[35]
  • 119 of Mercuries F&B’s 124 central-kitchen suppliers were domestic suppliers in 2025.[35]
  • 4% was the year-over-year increase in Cranswick colleagues completing modern-slavery training in 2023.[97]

Stakeholder management in the meat packaging industry

  • US$100 billion was the estimated annual corporate financial exposure if governments required companies to fund packaging-waste management.[75]
  • 59% of independent Tyson Foods shareholders supported a circular-economy packaging proposal in 2024.[75]
  • 5,600 customers bought products from Smithfield Foods in fiscal year 2024.[65]
  • 42% of Smithfield Foods’ consolidated sales came from its ten largest customers in fiscal year 2025.[98]
  • 13% of Smithfield Foods’ consolidated sales came from Walmart in fiscal year 2024.[65]

Distribution channels in the meat packaging industry

  • 54% of UK foodservice purchases moved through delivered wholesalers in the cited USDA distribution-channel analysis.[99]
  • 19% of meat volume was sold through respondents’ own retail stores or counters in Missouri’s 2019 niche-meat survey.[58]
  • 10% of meat volume was sold through foodservice by surveyed Missouri niche-meat facilities in 2019.[58]
  • 11% of UK foodservice purchases moved through cash-and-carry channels in the cited analysis.[99]
  • 18% of UK foodservice purchases moved through importers or contract distributors in the cited channel analysis.[99]

Key questions about the meat packaging industry

What is the current size of the global meat packaging market?
The global meat packaging market was valued at $55.04 billion in 2025.
How fast is the market growing from 2026 to 2034?
Fortune Business Insights forecasts growth from $58.42 billion in 2026 to $97.49 billion in 2034, a 6.61% CAGR.
Which companies lead the meat packaging industry?
Amcor leads Gitnux's 2026 meat packaging ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with revenue growth 57%, operating margin 8.1%, R&D 0.72% of revenue. GEA is the highest-ranked systems integrator at 8.9, with revenue growth 1.4% and operating margin 11.5%.
Which technology shifts are shaping meat packaging in 2026?
Common technologies include modified-atmosphere packaging, vacuum skin packaging and vacuum thermoforming. AI-aided robots in 2025 were reported packing at up to 200 meat products per minute in logistics applications.
How does the market structure break down across materials and formats?
Market studies segment meat packaging by material, technology, product type and meat type. Product formats include bags and pouches, films and laminates, and trays.
How do regulation changes affect packaging requirements by 2030?
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 applies from August 12, 2026 and requires packaging to be recyclable by 2030, with a 70% recycling-rate target for packaging waste by 2030.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Meat Packaging Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/meat-packaging-industry-statistics
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Samuel Norberg. "Meat Packaging Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/meat-packaging-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Meat Packaging Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/meat-packaging-industry-statistics.

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