01 Industry overview
The global meat industry at a glance
The global meat industry produced 375 million tonnes in 2025, while meat value sales reached about $1 trillion; poultry led volume growth as demand expanded in emerging markets and ruminant supplies tightened.
- 375 Mt[1]
- Global production, 2025
- $1.0T[84]
- Global value sales, 2025
- 3.4%[84]
- Value-sales CAGR, 2025–2030
- 43.6%[84]
- Asia-Pacific share, 2025
- Market size
- Global meat value sales reached $1 trillion in 2025, according to GlobalData. Separately, OECD/FAO reported global physical production of 375 million tonnes carcass-weight equivalent in 2025.[84][1]
- Forecast & CAGR
- GlobalData forecasts meat value sales to reach $1.2 trillion by 2030, implying a 3.4% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. OECD/FAO projects total meat consumption per capita to reach 29.3 kilograms per year by 2034, only 3% above the 2022–2024 average.[84][1]
- Market share & regions
- Asia-Pacific accounted for 43.6% of global meat value sales in 2025, ahead of Western Europe at 22.7% and the Americas at 21.9%. OECD/FAO expects Africa’s meat consumption to increase by 33% over the decade to 2034 as its population rises from 1.5 billion to 1.8 billion.[84][1]
- Segmentation
- OECD/FAO’s 2025 outlook separates the market into poultry, pig, bovine and sheep meat. In 2025, poultry production was 154.4 million tonnes, pig meat 126.3 million tonnes, bovine meat 78.0 million tonnes and ovine meat 18.9 million tonnes.[85]
- Key players & concentration
- Production is concentrated among China, the United States and Brazil: 2024 output was approximately 97.9 million tonnes in China, 47.8 million tonnes in the United States and 29.6 million tonnes in Brazil. Together, these three countries represented about 47% of the 2024 global total reported in the same dataset.[86][41]
- Pricing
- The FAO Meat Price Index rose 5.1% in January–October 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, reaching an index level of 123 against the 2014–2016 base. OECD/FAO attributed the 2025 increase mainly to stronger import demand and tight ruminant supplies.[85][1]
- Trends, drivers & challenges
- Poultry and pig meat drove 2025 production growth, while bovine output declined because of herd reductions in major producing countries. Key constraints include highly pathogenic avian influenza, climate and weather risks, higher compliance costs, and tighter ruminant supplies.[1]
- Consumer behavior & competition
- OECD/FAO expects consumers in high-income countries to increasingly substitute poultry for beef, pork and sheep meat, while total per-capita consumption stagnates or declines in some markets. High-income countries represented 35% of global meat consumption but only 17% of the world’s population in 2024.[1]
- M&A
- Recent industry deal activity includes Chesapeake Fine Food Group’s acquisition of a Vermont ham and meat company and Pilgrim’s Europe’s acquisition expanding its premium pork business, both reported in October 2026. The available industry source lists transactions but does not provide reliable disclosed deal values for these acquisitions.[20]
- Regulation
- Environmental regulation is affecting trade competitiveness: OECD/FAO projects the European Union’s share of global meat exports to fall from about 19% in 2021 to 13% by 2034 as producers face higher compliance costs. Supply chains are also facing increasing scrutiny over traceability, deforestation and animal-disease controls.[1][78]
- Latest news
- On November 5, 2026, environmental and human-rights groups filed 14 complaints in Europe against JBS, its financial backers and advisers, alleging links to money laundering connected with illegal Amazon deforestation. The allegations are contested and remain subject to regulatory and legal review.[78]
02 Ranking
Top 10 Companies in the Global Meat Industry
The leading companies in the global meat industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.
Updated November 9, 2026 · Next review December 9, 2026
Cargill leads Gitnux's 2026 global meat ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with Cargill Protein marketing and exporting beef, turkey, chicken and egg products worldwide. MBRF is the runner-up at 9.1, with R$164 billion in 2025 net revenue across 120 countries.
Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓
Editor's top 3 picks
Where to start, by need.
#1 Overall · Leader in meat and poultry processing
Cargill
US
Ranked #1 · 9.3 · Meat and poultry processing
Why we picked it: It operates across global beef, poultry, and protein products, covering beef and egg-derived categories.
#2 overall
MBRF
BR
Ranked #2 · 9.1 · Meat and poultry processing
Why we picked it: It combines poultry, pork, beef and processed foods with a reported presence in 120 countries.
#3 overall
Minerva Foods
BR
Ranked #3 · 9.0 · Meat and poultry processing
Why we picked it: It is focused on South American beef production and exports, with a reported 60.9% revenue growth signal.
Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.
Full ranking
| # | Company | Overall ↓ | Impact | Performance | Momentum | Innovation | Company snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cargill Meat and poultry processing · US | 9.3 | 9.9 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 9.9 | |
Company snapshot · Cargill · Data as of November 9, 2026 Cargill Protein produces, markets and exports beef, turkey, chicken and egg products worldwide.[87]
| |||||||
| 2 | MBRF Meat and poultry processing · BR | 9.1 | 9.5 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 9.2 | |
Company snapshot · MBRF · Data as of November 9, 2026 MBRF reported R$164 billion in 2025 net revenue and presence in 120 countries.[88]
| |||||||
| 3 | Minerva Foods Meat and poultry processing · BR | 9.0 | 8.2 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 8.5 | |
Company snapshot · Minerva Foods · Data as of November 9, 2026
| |||||||
| 4 | JBS Meat and poultry processing · NL | 8.8 | 9.8 | 8.0 | 9.1 | 7.8 | |
Company snapshot · JBS · Data as of November 9, 2026 JBS reported record 2025 revenue of US$86.2 billion and operates across multiple animal-protein categories.[89]
| |||||||
| 5 | Maple Leaf Foods Meat and poultry processing · CA | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 9.2 | |
Company snapshot · Maple Leaf Foods · Data as of November 9, 2026 Maple Leaf Foods reported 2025 sales of C$3.9 billion after separating its pork operations.[14]
| |||||||
| 6 | Charoen Pokphand Foods Integrated poultry, pork and food production · TH | 8.6 | 9.1 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 9.2 | |
Company snapshot · Charoen Pokphand Foods · Data as of November 9, 2026
| |||||||
| 7 | Tyson Foods U.S. and global beef, pork, chicken and prepared foods · US | 8.5 | 9.7 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 8.5 | |
Company snapshot · Tyson Foods · Data as of November 9, 2026 Tyson produces approximately one-fifth of U.S. chicken, beef and pork by volume.[90]
| |||||||
| 8 | OSI Group Global meat processing for foodservice and retail · US | 8.5 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.5 | 9.2 | |
Company snapshot · OSI Group · Data as of November 9, 2026 OSI Group operates meat-processing facilities and supplies protein products to global foodservice and retail customers.[91]
| |||||||
| 9 | Betagro Thai and regional poultry, pork and food products · TH | 8.1 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 8.9 | 9.2 | |
Company snapshot · Betagro · Data as of November 9, 2026
| |||||||
| 10 | Vion Food Group European pork, beef and processed meat production · NL | 8.0 | 8.7 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 7.8 | |
Company snapshot · Vion Food Group · Data as of November 9, 2026 Vion is an international producer of meat and meat products with production in the Netherlands and Germany.[92]
| |||||||
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 9, 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
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the global meat industry. In Global Meat Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-meat-industry-statistics/#top-companies
Revenue of the largest global meat companies
Cargill leads with $154.0B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).
03 Trends & forecasts
Top 10 Global Meat Industry Trends & Forecasts 2027
What is changing in the global meat industry, with the evidence behind each trend and a forecast for 2027.
Forecasts were generated by an AI model from the cited evidence. They are estimates, not guarantees.
01Poultry leads global meat growth
High confidenceOECD-FAO projects global poultry consumption to grow by roughly 21% between the 2022–2024 base period and 2034, compared with 5% for pig meat, 13% for beef and 16% for sheep meat. Poultry already represented 154.4 million tonnes of global production in 2025, according to the overview.[1]
Forecast 2027: Poultry will capture most incremental global meat demand in 2027, supported by lower prices, shorter production cycles and expanding consumption in emerging markets. Its share of global output is likely to rise modestly while beef and sheep meat remain supply constrained.
02High-income consumers substitute poultry
High confidenceOECD-FAO expects consumers in Canada and the European Union to continue substituting poultry for beef, pig and sheep meat, while total per-capita meat consumption stagnates. In the United States, broiler availability is forecast to reach 106.5 pounds per person in 2027, the highest level among the major animal-protein categories.[1][77]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, poultry will continue gaining share in higher-income markets, especially in foodservice and processed products. Beef, pork and sheep meat will face greater pressure to justify premium pricing through quality, origin, convenience or sustainability claims.
03African meat demand accelerates
High confidenceThe overview reports that OECD-FAO expects Africa’s meat consumption to increase by 33% over the decade to 2034 as the population rises from 1.5 billion to 1.8 billion. OECD-FAO also projects livestock-sector output in Sub-Saharan Africa to expand by 29% by 2034.[1]
Forecast 2027: Africa will be one of the fastest-growing meat-demand regions in 2027, led by poultry and, where incomes permit, beef. Import dependence will remain significant in urban markets, although domestic poultry and livestock investment should continue expanding.
04Ruminant supplies remain tight
High confidenceOECD-FAO identifies tight ruminant supplies as a key reason for higher meat prices in 2025. USDA forecasts U.S. beef production at 24.675 billion pounds in 2027, below 26.003 billion pounds in 2025, while 2027 lamb production is forecast at 125 million pounds versus 135 million pounds in 2025.[77][1]
Forecast 2027: Beef and sheep meat will remain structurally tighter than poultry in 2027. Herd rebuilding may limit near-term slaughter, keeping wholesale prices elevated and encouraging substitution toward poultry and selected pork products.
05Meat prices stay above historical norms
Medium confidenceThe FAO Meat Price Index averaged 125.5 points in October 2026, remaining slightly above its year-earlier level. The index rose by about 5% in 2025, with tight ruminant supplies and stronger import demand supporting prices.[41][1]
Forecast 2027: Global meat prices will probably remain firm in 2027, although poultry supply growth should moderate inflation in the overall meat basket. Beef and sheep meat are likely to retain the strongest price premiums.
06Chicken trade outpaces beef and pork
High confidenceUSDA forecasts 2026 chicken exports from major traders at a record 14.6 million tonnes, up from 14.2 million tonnes in 2025. In contrast, 2026 beef exports are forecast to fall 1% to 13.5 million tonnes and pork exports to decline 1% to 10.2 million tonnes.[93]
Forecast 2027: Chicken will be the only major meat category showing clear export momentum in 2027. Brazil, China and other competitive suppliers are likely to gain share in price-sensitive importing markets, while beef and pork trade remains constrained by supply and policy barriers.
07China reshapes global beef trade
Medium confidenceUSDA forecasts China’s share of global beef imports to fall from 31% in 2025 to 27% in 2026 as tariff-rate quotas limit imports. Global beef exports are forecast to decline 1% in 2026 to 13.8 million tonnes, while U.S. imports rise 6% because of tight domestic supplies.[93]
Forecast 2027: China’s import-management policies will continue redirecting beef flows in 2027, increasing competition for alternative markets. Suppliers with preferential access or lower costs, including parts of Latin America and Oceania, should be best positioned.
08Avian influenza keeps poultry risk elevated
High confidenceWOAH reported 124 HPAI outbreaks in poultry and 863 outbreaks in non-poultry animals in February 2026, with approximately 13.61 million poultry birds dying or being culled. A joint FAO/WHO/WOAH assessment also recorded 1,204 poultry outbreaks between July 2025 and March 2026.[94]
Forecast 2027: HPAI will remain a material operating and pricing risk in 2027, even if outbreak intensity declines seasonally. Producers will increase spending on surveillance, compartmentalisation, vaccination-related measures where permitted and biosecurity.
09Deforestation traceability becomes mandatory
High confidenceThe EU Deforestation Regulation applies from 30 December 2026 to cattle and products derived from cattle, requiring businesses to demonstrate that products are deforestation-free and linked to production locations through due diligence and geolocation data.[95][96]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, traceability and geolocation documentation will become a commercial requirement for exporters serving the EU. Smaller suppliers lacking auditable cattle and feed-sourcing records may lose access or face higher compliance costs.
10Environmental compliance raises EU costs
Medium confidenceThe overview reports that OECD-FAO projects the European Union’s share of global meat exports to fall from about 19% in 2021 to 13% by 2034 as producers face higher compliance costs. OECD-FAO also expects agricultural greenhouse-gas emissions to rise more slowly than production because of a shift toward poultry and lower-emission practices.[1]
Forecast 2027: EU producers will continue prioritising efficiency, certification and higher-value products in 2027. Export growth will remain difficult where environmental, animal-welfare and reporting costs exceed those of competing suppliers.
04 Statistics
Technology & Innovation
Trials report high AI performance in cutting and quality tasks (85%–92% success rates in 2025 trials), while European agri-food AI adoption was 22% in 2024.
AI in the global meat industry
- 85%–92% success rates were achieved by AI-supported sheep-processing cutting systems in trials, 2025, geography not specified.[1]
- 22% of businesses in the European agri-food industrial ecosystem reported AI adoption in 2024.[2]
- 93.3% accuracy was reported for an AI system detecting bone in chicken breast, 2020, geography not specified.[1]
- 96% accuracy was reported for an AI model identifying carcass regions in a meat-processing study, 2021, geography not specified.[1]
- 0.95 was the correlation between an AI model’s meat marbling scores and expert assessments in a meat-quality study, 2022, geography not specified.[1]
Automation in the global meat industry
- 4% employment growth is projected for U.S. meat, poultry and fish processing workers from 2025 to 2035, partly constrained by machine substitution in some occupations.[3]
- 6% employment growth is projected for U.S. meat, poultry and fish cutters and trimmers from 2025 to 2035, an occupation described as difficult to automate.[3]
- 2% employment growth is projected for U.S. slaughterers and meat packers from 2025 to 2035, with machine use cited as a limiting factor.[3]
- 11% of businesses in the European agri-food industrial ecosystem reported robotics adoption in 2023.[2]
- 20% of businesses in the European agri-food industrial ecosystem reported robotics adoption in 2024.[2]
Digital Transformation in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.[4]
- Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 51.2% had very low digital intensity in 2023, down from 55.1% in 2021.[2]
- Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 3.4% had very high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 2.1% in 2021.[2]
- Across the EU agri-food industrial ecosystem, 20% of companies had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[2]
- Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 15.4% had high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 13.0% in 2021.[2]
Technology Adoption in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Across EU farms, 43% had internet access, 11% used farm-management information systems, and 7% used robotics in 2023.[1]
- In Germany, 85.5% of surveyed farms used at least one digital technology in 2024–2025.[1]
- In Canada, 84% of field-crop operations used GPS equipment in 2021.[1]
- Across EU farms with utilised agricultural area, about 18% used some form of precision-farming technology or practice in 2023.[1]
- In Czechia, 30% of crop-production farmers used at least one precision-agriculture technology in 2023.[1]
- In Chile, 12% of agricultural production units reported using a technological tool such as mobile applications, drones, or sensors in 2021.[1]
Cloud Computing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Among EU large businesses, 78% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023, compared with 44% of SMEs.[5]
- Across EU agri-food businesses, 37% used cloud computing in 2024, up from 26% in 2023.[2]
- Across EU businesses, 45% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023.[5]
- Across EU agri-food businesses, 26% used cloud computing in 2023.[2]
Big Data in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Across EU agri-food businesses, 17% used big-data technologies in 2023.[2]
- Across EU agri-food businesses, 307 startups focused on artificial intelligence and big data were formed between 2015 and 2023.[2]
- Across EU agri-food businesses, 13% used big-data technologies in 2024, compared with 17% in 2023.[2]
- In Germany, 5.0% of surveyed farms used artificial-intelligence or big-data technologies in 2024–2025.[1]
Blockchain in the global meat industry
- 5% of businesses in the European agri-food industrial ecosystem reported blockchain adoption in 2024.[2]
05 Statistics
Data & Analytics
Data-quality risk remains central: 44% of manufacturers said AI projects failed because of poor data quality in 2025, while 6% of leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025.
Business intelligence in the global meat industry
- The Meat Institute’s 2025 Protein PACT Continuous Improvement report captures industry-wide performance data for participating meat companies.[6]
- The Meat Institute’s 2026 reporting dashboards provide participating meat companies with company-, establishment-, and industry-level performance views.[6]
- A 2024 Indian meat-industry study examined digital supply-chain collaboration and its effects on supply-chain performance.[7]
Data analytics in the global meat industry
- 38,528 high-resolution beef images from 602 steaks were assembled in a 2024 computer-vision dataset for meat traceability and quality assessment.[8]
- A 2024 study applied artificial intelligence, sensors, and computer technologies to quantify and qualify meat-quality parameters.[7]
- A 2024 review identified blockchain, isotope fingerprinting, DNA analysis, and spectroscopy as meat-traceability and authenticity technologies.[9]
- A 2024 Indian meat-industry investigation evaluated digital technologies for improving supply-chain efficiency, transparency, and traceability.[7]
Data Quality in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- 41% of manufacturers said they distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025, reflecting persistent data-quality concerns in production and procurement.[10]
- 30% of manufacturing respondents identified poor-quality data as one of their top three challenges when working with AI-related data in 2024.[11]
- 42% of manufacturers reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy or quality in 2025, indicating that most lacked a formal validation process.[11]
- 44% of manufacturers reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025, according to a survey of manufacturing organizations.[10]
- 49% of manufacturing respondents rated their operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024, meaning it was insufficiently labeled, contextualized, governed or accessible.[11]
Data Governance in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- 40% of food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their biggest barrier to moving faster in 2026.[12]
- 61% of manufacturers reported having a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal guidelines for how data is collected, organized, accessed and used in 2024.[11]
- 6% of food and beverage leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025, despite 82% saying technology adoption was a strategic priority.[12]
- 61% of supply-management organizations reported having a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, while 90% agreed that data governance was necessary.[13]
- 15% of manufacturers said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024, while 31% said it was very closely aligned.[11]
- 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025, limiting standardized access and control of business data.[12]
KPIs in the global meat industry
- Maple Leaf Foods reported an 11.3% adjusted EBITDA margin in 2024, compared with 9.8% in 2023.[14]
- Maple Leaf Foods recorded three food-safety recalls in 2024, compared with three in 2023 and one in 2022.[14]
- Maple Leaf Foods reported C$4.9 billion in 2024 sales, compared with C$4.8 billion in 2023 and C$4.7 billion in 2022.[14]
- Maple Leaf Foods exceeded its internal food-safety incident-rate target by 30% in 2024.[14]
- Meat sales in the United States reached $104.6 billion in 2024, with pounds sold increasing 2.3% year over year.[15]
- The top 10 meat products represented 56% of unit sales in the U.S. meat department in 2024.[15]
06 Statistics
Strategy & Growth
Growth is tied to capacity, partnerships and market access, with examples including 80-plus countries served by Hormel Foods in fiscal 2024 and 290 million pounds sterling paid by Pilgrim’s Pride for Tulip Limited in 2019.
Growth in the global meat industry
- 80-plus countries were served by Hormel Foods through branded, value-added meat and food products in fiscal 2024.[16]
- 40% of Smithfield’s Fresh Pork segment processing came from internally produced hogs in 2025.[17]
- 12 billion dollars in annual revenue was generated by Hormel Foods from more than 80 countries in fiscal 2024.[16]
- 20% or more of Australian pork production was represented by SunPork in 2024.[18]
- 45,000 tonnes of Australian meat were processed and distributed annually by Thomas Foods International through its U.S. operations in 2025.[18]
- 1.2 million pigs per year were produced by SunPork as part of its integrated growth model in 2024.[18]
Differentiation in the global meat industry
- 5 product formats—fully cooked, ready-to-cook, individually frozen chicken parts, strips and nuggets—were listed among Pilgrim’s prepared offerings in 2024.[16]
- 73 Costco stores carried Australian lamb pastrami developed through an MLA and Aussie Select project in 2024.[18]
- 154% was the increase in weekly ready-to-eat or deli-meat purchases reported by U.S. retailers during an Australian lamb product-development project in 2024.[18]
- 1 retail chain and 1 restaurant group were selected by Mission Barns for the initial U.S. launch of cultivated pork products in 2025.[19]
- 2 quality attributes—intramuscular fat in lamb and marbling in beef—were measured by Alliance Group’s MEQ technology in 2024.[18]
- 7.7 billion U.S. dollars was the cited annual value of U.S. deli-meat spending targeted by Australian lamb differentiation efforts in 2024.[18]
Mergers and acquisitions in the global meat industry
- 1 acquisition of Harrison Poultry was announced by Wayne-Sanderson Farms as part of its strategic growth initiative in 2025.[20]
- 0.3 times fiscal-2025 revenue was the stated acquisition multiple for Mama’s Creations’ purchase of Crown I Enterprises in 2025.[21]
- 290 million pounds sterling was the purchase price paid by Pilgrim’s Pride for Tulip Limited in 2019.[16]
- 1 meat-snack producer, Golden Valley Natural, was acquired by Western Smokehouse Partners in 2024.[22]
- 2 genetics businesses—Hypor and Danish Genetics—completed a merger in 2025.[23]
- 1 beef-processing facility in Fresno, California, was acquired by Central Valley Meat from Cargill Meat Solutions in 2024.[24]
Strategic partnerships in the global meat industry
- 1 minority stake was taken by Walmart in Sustainable Beef LLC to support a new rancher-owned beef-processing facility in Nebraska in 2022.[18]
- 2 Queensland food businesses—SunPork and Mighty Good Food Group—jointly invested in Temba Meats in 2024.[18]
- 3 organizations—Cargill, McDonald’s and Walmart—joined WWF in a North American red-meat sustainability initiative in 2020.[18]
- 1 national supermarket chain was planned as Mission Barns’ initial retail partner for cultivated meat in the United States in 2025.[19]
- 1 restaurant group, Fiorella, became Mission Barns’ first restaurant launch partner for cultivated pork products in 2025.[19]
- 52,000 sows were held by SunPork when it formed the Temba Meats manufacturing partnership in 2024.[18]
07 Statistics
People & Workforce
Workforce planning shows incremental change: 13,300 additional U.S. meat, poultry and fish processing jobs are projected between 2025 and 2035, alongside projected turnover differences in sampled plants.
Hiring in the global meat industry
- 39,800 annual job openings are projected for U.S. meat, poultry and fish processing workers from 2025 to 2035.[3]
- 50% of U.S. meat, poultry and fish processing workers were employed in animal slaughtering and processing in 2025.[3]
- 359,300 people were employed in U.S. meat, poultry and fish processing occupations in 2025.[3]
- 13,300 additional U.S. meat, poultry and fish processing jobs are projected between 2025 and 2035.[3]
Employee retention in the global meat industry
- 54% was the highest turnover rate recorded among the 28 Australian meat-processing plant-years in a retention snapshot.[25]
- 33% of employees in the Australian meat-processing sample left within their first three months of employment.[25]
- 16% was the lowest turnover rate recorded among the 28 Australian meat-processing plant-years in a retention snapshot.[25]
- 35% was the average turnover rate across 28 Australian meat-processing plant-years in a retention snapshot.[25]
- 16% was the staff-turnover rate reported by a small-meat-processor workforce network, described as lower than other industries.[26]
Remote Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Across U.S. accommodation and food services, 4.8% of workers worked remotely in 2021, up from 1.9% in 2019 and 5.3% in 2020.[3]
- Across U.S. agriculture and food employers, 35% offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024, according to AgCareers’ industry hiring report.[27]
- Across U.S. crop and animal production, 14.4% of workers worked remotely in 2021, compared with 14.7% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020.[3]
- Across U.S. agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, about 12% of workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[28]
Hybrid Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- 44% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals preferred part-time remote work in 2024.[29]
- Among science-of-food professionals surveyed in 2024, 36% reported having no work-at-home days per week.[30]
- 33% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals reported working in hybrid arrangements in 2024.[29]
- 13% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals preferred full-time on-site work in 2024.[29]
- Across employers discussed in a food-industry hybrid-work survey, about 90% had adopted some form of hybrid work, although the figure was not limited to agriculture and food production.[30]
Upskilling in the global meat industry
- 45% of new supervisors receive leadership training during their first year in many meat and poultry organizations, according to the U.S. Meat Institute.[31]
- 24.0% of U.S. butchers and meat cutters required prior work experience in 2025.[3]
- 96.9% of U.S. butchers and meat cutters required on-the-job training in 2025.[3]
Employee Engagement in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 60.9% on enablement in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[32]
- In the agriculture industry, employees averaged 7.68 out of 10 for engagement and an eNPS of +5 in CultureMonkey’s 2026 benchmark.[33]
- At Europe Snacks, a multinational food manufacturer, employee engagement reached 79% across its international workforce and 88% in its UK business after a structured listening program.[32]
- Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 59.3% on leadership in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[32]
- Manufacture, distribution and storage organizations recorded an average employee-engagement score of 72.9% in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[32]
DEI in the global meat industry
- 32% of high-level leadership roles in the meat industry were held by women in 2023.[34]
- 10% of people working in the meat industry rated it as more inclusive than other industries in 2023.[34]
- 30% of skilled roles in the meat industry were held by women in 2023.[34]
- 32% of middle-manager roles in the meat industry were held by women in 2023.[34]
08 Statistics
Customer & Sales
Buying drivers emphasize taste and experience; in 2025, 87% of U.S. consumers always or often considered taste when choosing food at home.
Customer experience in the global meat industry
- 87% of U.S. consumers always or often considered taste when choosing food at home in 2025.[35]
- 65% of customers learned about their meat processor through recommendations from family or friends in a 2018 Minnesota survey.[36]
- 84% to 93% of U.S. consumers reported a satisfying eating experience when choosing beef in 2025.[35]
- 75% of U.S. consumers agreed that beef is great tasting in 2025.[35]
- 9.6 out of 10 was the average customer rating for meat quality in a 2018 Minnesota meat-processor survey.[36]
Customer retention in the global meat industry
- 8 years was the average customer relationship length at surveyed Minnesota meat processors in 2018.[36]
- 62% of customers had shopped at their meat processor for at least 10 years in a 2018 Minnesota survey.[36]
- 4.2 dinners per week was the average number of meat- or poultry-containing dinners prepared by U.S. shoppers in 2024.[15]
- 58% of U.S. consumers had tried-and-true meat or poultry favorites but remained interested in exploring more in 2024.[15]
- 54 meat-shopping trips per year was the average for U.S. meat buyers in 2024.[15]
Customer acquisition in the global meat industry
- 7% of surveyed Minnesota meat-processor customers were first-year customers in 2018.[36]
- 1.8 million visits came from Google organic search to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com in fiscal 2025.[35]
- 14% of customers discovered their meat processor through signs or billboards in a 2018 Minnesota survey.[36]
- 800,000 direct visits were recorded by BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com in fiscal 2025.[35]
- 35% of first-time customers were willing to travel at least 50 miles to reach their meat processor in 2018.[36]
Customer loyalty in the global meat industry
- 56% of U.S. consumers considered environmental responsibility when making meat choices in 2024.[15]
- 94% of U.S. consumers could be persuaded to spend more on meat or poultry when conditions were favorable in 2024.[15]
- Four in ten U.S. consumers trusted their grocery stores to sell humanely raised meat in 2024.[15]
- Taste was the leading reason U.S. consumers bought the same meat or poultry cut or kind again in 2024.[15]
- Taste and flavor were primary reasons customers bought directly from meat processors in a 2018 Minnesota survey.[36]
Lead generation in the global meat industry
- 2.5 pages per session was the average engagement level on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com in fiscal 2025.[35]
- 34 state beef council partners used NCBA as a media agency in fiscal 2024.[35]
- 400,000 visits to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com came from display and banner advertising in fiscal 2025.[35]
- 15 million-plus pages of beef content and recipes were viewed on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com in fiscal 2025.[35]
- 470,000 visits to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com came from social media in fiscal 2025.[35]
09 Statistics
Marketing & Brand
U.S. sales growth tracked small year-over-year changes (4.7% growth in U.S. meat dollar sales from 2023 to 2024), while consumers weighed protein importance (90% in 2024).
Marketing in the global meat industry
- 90% of U.S. consumers considered getting enough protein very or somewhat important in 2024.[15]
- 4.7% was the year-over-year growth in U.S. meat dollar sales from 2023 to 2024.[15]
- 2.3% was the year-over-year growth in U.S. meat pound sales from 2023 to 2024.[15]
- 87% of U.S. consumers were interested in recipes and tips for creating restaurant-style meals at home in 2024.[15]
- 53% of U.S. consumers described their typical meal preparation as a mix of scratch and prepared foods in 2024.[15]
Digital marketing in the global meat industry
- More than 90% of meat consumers used social media at least once a week in Midan’s 2023 research.[37]
- More than one-third of meat consumers had purchased meat or poultry online in Midan’s 2023 research.[37]
- 63% of meat consumers used a smartphone to purchase online according to Midan’s technology research.[37]
- 35% of U.S. consumers had bought at least some meat or poultry online in 2021.[15]
- 58% of U.S. consumers searched for meat tips by meat or poultry type in 2021.[15]
Branding in the global meat industry
- 48% of U.S. consumers trusted the people who raise cattle in 2025.[35]
- 61% of U.S. consumers viewed farmers and ranchers as credible sources on meat-production practices in 2025.[35]
- 48% of U.S. consumers identified protein as a top priority when choosing beef meals in 2025.[35]
- 73% of U.S. consumers agreed that beef is an excellent source of protein in 2025.[35]
- 75% of U.S. consumers agreed that beef is great tasting in 2025, supporting taste-led beef branding.[35]
Influencer Marketing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Food and drink influencer content involved 78,800 profiles globally in 2023, based on Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[39]
- Food and drink influencer posts achieved a 1.19% average engagement rate globally in 2023.[39]
- 11.5 million influencer posts covered food and drink globally in 2023, according to Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[39]
- Food and drink influencer content produced an estimated $122 billion in earned media value globally in 2023.[39]
- Food and drink influencer content generated 42.7 billion engagements globally in 2023.[39]
10 Statistics
Operations & Execution
Operational controls are measured with auditing and recall counts; JBS reported 80% of global facilities audited and certified under GFSI-recognized schemes in 2024.
Process optimization in the global meat industry
- 17% is the projected improvement in output per livestock inventory for selected meat-producing systems by 2034, globally.[1]
- 365 million tonnes was estimated global meat production in 2024, up 1.3% from 2023.[1]
- 80% of JBS global facilities were audited and certified under GFSI-recognized schemes in 2024.[40]
- 99.98% of JBS significant product categories were assessed for health and safety improvement impacts globally in 2024.[40]
- 361 million tonnes was global meat production in 2022, compared with approximately 71 million tonnes in 1961.[41]
Operational efficiency in the global meat industry
- 180-plus countries received products from JBS customers in 2024.[16]
- 1.3% was global meat-production growth in 2024, led mainly by poultry and beef.[1]
- 250-plus production facilities were operated by JBS globally in 2024.[16]
- 280,000-plus employees worked for JBS globally in 2024.[16]
- 2% was the increase in global meat exports in 2024, reaching 40.2 million tonnes.[1]
Quality management in the global meat industry
- More than 8 million pounds of meat and poultry products were recalled in the United States in 2024.[42]
- 1,073 meat and poultry recalls associated with severe illness or death were initiated by US FSIS during 2000–2019.[43]
- 6 regulatory recalls occurred across JBS global operations in 2024.[40]
- 307 meat-product recalls occurred in Canada during the five-year evaluation period plus fiscal year 2014–15.[44]
- 80% of JBS global facilities held GFSI-recognized food-safety certification in 2024.[40]
Supply chain in the global meat industry
- 26% of JBS 2024 revenue originated in Brazil.[16]
- US$162 billion was the estimated value of the air-cargo perishable-goods logistics industry in 2024.[45]
- 40.2 million tonnes was global meat-export volume in 2024, up 2% year over year.[1]
- 51% of JBS 2024 revenue originated in the United States.[16]
- 6,674 FDA food-recall events were recorded in the United States during 2013–2025, compared with 1,248 FSIS events.[9]
Outsourcing / Offshoring in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- 66% of Queensland food-processing businesses engaged in contract manufacturing to some extent in 2010, including contracting work in or out.[46]
- 49% of U.S. growers surveyed outsourced at least some farm work to third-party service providers in 2022, with spraying services the most commonly outsourced activity.[47]
- About 12% of firms in the 11-country World Bank Firm-level Adoption of Technology sample outsourced at least one food-processing function, compared with about 18% in apparel.[48]
- 19% of surveyed Queensland food-processing businesses contracted work out in 2010, while 28% contracted work in and 15% did both.[46]
- 85% of Canadian food and beverage companies processed or manufactured products internally in 2020, while 13% both produced internally and outsourced production.[49]
11 Statistics
Finance & Pricing
Price movements show both direction and magnitude, including Tyson’s fiscal-2024 average beef-sales-price increase of 4.4% in the U.S. and a 4.4% OECD-FAO bovine-meat price rise projection.
Pricing strategy in the global meat industry
- 0.8% was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 average prepared-foods-sales-price decline in the United States.[50]
- 6.9% was Tyson Foods’ fourth-quarter 2024 average pork-sales-price decline year over year.[50]
- 4.4% was the projected rise in global bovine-meat prices over the medium term under the OECD-FAO outlook scenario.[1]
- 4.4% was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 average beef-sales-price increase in the United States.[50]
- 0.7% was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 average pork-sales-price decline in the United States.[50]
Cost reduction in the global meat industry
- US$333 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2023 beef goodwill impairment charge used in its fiscal-2024 comparison.[16]
- US$41 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 beef plant-closure and disposal cost.[51]
- US$118 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2023 legal-contingency accrual used in its fiscal-2024 comparison.[16]
- US$86 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 net cost associated with a fire and subsequent facility-sale decision in the Netherlands.[51]
- US$31 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2023 restructuring and related charges used in its fiscal-2024 comparison.[16]
Profitability in the global meat industry
- US$988 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 chicken-segment operating income.[50]
- US$1.409 billion was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 operating income.[50]
- US$879 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 prepared-foods-segment operating income.[50]
- 6.0% was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 chicken operating margin.[50]
- US$40 million was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 pork-segment operating loss.[50]
Financial planning in the global meat industry
- US$20.479 billion was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 beef-segment sales.[50]
- 17.4% was BRF’s 2024 EBITDA margin.[52]
- 14% was BRF’s 2024 net-revenue growth rate.[52]
- US$16.425 billion was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 chicken-segment sales.[50]
- US$2.353 billion was Tyson Foods’ fiscal-2024 international/other-segment sales.[50]
12 Statistics
Product & Service
Alternative proteins remain trackable by filings and capacity: 113 cultivated-meat patent filings were recorded globally in 2023, and global plant-based meat capacity was estimated at 2.2 million metric tons in 2022.
Product development in the global meat industry
- 26 plant-based facilities opened, expanded, or were announced globally in 2024, including retrofits of conventional protein facilities.[53]
- 113 cultivated-meat patent filings were recorded globally in 2023, down from 125 in 2022.[54]
- 2.2 million metric tons was the estimated global plant-based meat production capacity in 2022, with Europe accounting for 41% and North America for 34%.[53]
- 393 plant-based meat products were launched in the United Kingdom between 2019 and 2021.[55]
- 417 plant-based meat products were launched in France between 2019 and 2021, the highest country total in the analyzed global dataset.[55]
Product lifecycle in the global meat industry
- 27,000 U.S. retail outlets carried Beyond Meat branded products as of December 2024.[16]
- Beyond Meat’s 2024 net revenues were $326.5 million, down 4.9% from $343.4 million in 2023.[16]
- 38,000 international retail outlets carried Beyond Meat branded products as of December 2024.[16]
- 38,000 U.S. foodservice outlets carried Beyond Meat branded products as of December 2024.[16]
- Beyond Meat’s 2024 product volume declined 10.3%, while net revenue per pound increased 5.9%.[16]
Value proposition in the global meat industry
- 98.2% of U.S. households purchased meat in 2024, according to Circana data reported by FMI and the Meat Institute.[15]
- 60% of U.S. consumers said they purchase meat because it tastes good in a March 2024 survey.[56]
- 60% of U.S. consumers considered environmental and sustainability claims valuable in 2024.[57]
- 73% of Americans viewed meat as an overall healthy choice in 2024.[15]
- 55% of U.S. consumers said meat is good value for the price paid in a March 2024 survey.[56]
13 Statistics
Sustainability & Ethics
Sustainability pressures cut across inputs and emissions, with 13.5% of meat estimated lost at the processing stage and 3.5 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent livestock emissions projected for 2034.
Sustainability in the global meat industry
- 7.3 kilolitres of water were used per tonne of hot standard carcass weight by Australian red-meat processors in 2023/24.[25]
- 2,897 megajoules of energy were used per tonne of hot standard carcass weight by Australian red-meat processors in 2023/24.[25]
- 13.5% of meat is estimated to be lost at the processing stage under the OECD-FAO baseline.[1]
- 3.5 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent livestock emissions are projected for 2034, up 6% from the base period.[1]
- 365 million tonnes of meat were produced globally in 2024, up 1.3% year on year.[1]
ESG in the global meat industry
- Nearly 20% of assessed protein companies were classified as low-risk in 2024, compared with 13% in 2023.[58]
- Average ESG scores increased for nine of the 10 assessed sustainability factors in 2024.[58]
- No company achieved an overall best-practice rating in the 2024 Protein Producer Index.[58]
- Average food-safety scores rose 4% among assessed protein producers in 2024.[58]
- Average working-conditions scores rose 3% among assessed protein producers in 2024.[58]
Ethics in the global meat industry
- 4,464 farm and transport welfare breaches affecting 1,073,102 animals were referred to authorities in Great Britain in 2024/25.[59]
- 142 meat-chicken welfare inspections were conducted in Great Britain in 2024, 222% more than in 2023.[60]
- 67 global food companies, or 45% of those assessed, cited farm-animal sentience as a foundation for welfare policies in 2024.[61]
- The average farm-animal-welfare score rose from 16% in 2022 to 18% in 2024.[61]
- The average farm-animal-welfare score of assessed global food companies was 18% in 2024.[61]
CSR in the global meat industry
- 78 Danone production sites were ISO 14001-certified in 2024.[62]
- 88.5% of Danone’s total food waste was valorized in 2024.[62]
- 62% of Danone’s water intake at production sites in water-stressed areas had an effective watershed-preservation action in 2024.[62]
- 82.3% of Danone facilities complied with its Clean Water Standards in 2024.[62]
- 86% of Danone’s worldwide fresh-milk volumes were assessed through an animal-welfare tool or Validus certification in 2024.[62]
Circular economy in the global meat industry
- 1,655 tonnes of Winland Foods waste entered anaerobic digestion in 2024.[63]
- 60% of plastic placed on the market by Danone was recovered in 2024.[62]
- 115,926 tonnes of Winland Foods waste were diverted through recycling, animal feed, land application, composting or anaerobic digestion in 2024.[63]
- 7,419 tonnes of Winland Foods waste underwent traditional recycling in 2024.[63]
- 51.4% of Winland Foods’ operational waste was diverted from disposal in 2024.[63]
Carbon footprint in the global meat industry
- 480 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions were estimated for the five largest emitters—JBS, Marfrig, Tyson, Minerva and Cargill—in 2023.[64]
- 287.9 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions were estimated for JBS in the Changing Markets analysis.[65]
- 102.6 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions were estimated for Marfrig in the Changing Markets analysis.[65]
- 26.67 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions were reported or estimated for WH Group in the Changing Markets analysis.[65]
- The combined methane emissions of 45 major meat and dairy companies exceeded reported methane emissions from the EU27 and United Kingdom in 2023.[64]
14 Statistics
Risk, Compliance & Legal
Risk perception is high: 84% of surveyed global food, beverage and agriculture companies said managing ESG risks would be a priority over the next two years in 2026.
Compliance in the global meat industry
- 87% was the average industry-compliance score in the U.S. Packers and Stockyards report for 2022.[66]
- 98.9% was the reported compliance rate for U.S. meat establishments during the first three quarters of 2024.[67]
- 9,882 incidents were submitted from U.S. animal slaughtering and processing establishments in 2024.[68]
- 76% was the U.S. poultry-contract compliance score in 2022.[66]
- 95% was the U.S. meat-industry compliance score for carcass evaluation practices in 2022.[66]
Risk Management in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Across global food, beverage and agriculture companies, 44% were concerned about supply-chain vulnerabilities in 2026.[69]
- Across global food, beverage and agriculture companies, 45% identified food safety and health as a top risk in 2026.[69]
- Across global food, beverage and agriculture companies, 84% said managing environmental, social and governance risks would be a priority over the next two years in 2026.[69]
- Across global food, beverage and agriculture companies, 62% felt in control of their key risks in 2026, based on a survey of 450 senior decision-makers.[69]
Cybersecurity in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- The global food and agriculture sector recorded 265 ransomware attacks in 2025, according to Food and Ag-ISAC tracking.[70]
- Food and agriculture organizations represented 9.3% of CL0P’s reported ransomware attacks in 2025.[70]
- Food and agriculture accounted for 4.2% of all ransomware incidents recorded globally in 2025.[70]
- Food and Ag-ISAC’s ransomware database contained more than 15,000 recorded incidents across sectors by 2025, supporting sector-level threat tracking since 2020.[70]
Data Privacy in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Across surveyed European Union farmers who shared data externally, 22% shared it with other farmers in 2025.[71]
- Across surveyed European Union farmers who shared data externally, 25% shared it with consultants or advisers in 2025.[71]
- Across surveyed European Union farmers, 66% cited data privacy and security concerns as barriers to sharing farm data in 2025.[71]
- Across surveyed European Union farmers, 39% reported not sharing data electronically with external parties in 2025.[71]
Crisis Management in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)
- Among Australian food and grocery companies surveyed in 2024, 53% conducted scenario planning for potential supply-chain disruptions, according to the 2025 report.[72]
- Among Australian food and grocery companies surveyed in 2024, 63% rated their crisis-management and recovery capability as moderately capable.[72]
- Among Australian food and grocery companies surveyed in 2024, 47% had business-continuity plans or playbooks identifying disruption triggers.[72]
- Among Australian food and grocery companies surveyed in 2024, 23% rated their crisis-management and recovery capability as fully capable.[72]
Governance in the global meat industry
- 53% of assessed protein companies linked executive remuneration to a sustainability metric in 2024.[58]
- 60 listed global meat, dairy and aquaculture companies were covered by the 2024 governance assessment.[58]
- 14 major meat and dairy companies were assessed in IATP’s 2024 climate-reporting scorecard.[73]
- The share of assessed protein companies linking executive remuneration to sustainability rose from 38% to 53%.[58]
- Five criteria were used in IATP’s 2024 scorecard: climate-risk acknowledgement, GHG reporting, emissions targets, methane reporting, and methane commitments.[73]
15 Statistics
Globalization & Expansion
Export and country reach expand alongside authorizations and production networks, including BRF obtaining 84 additional export-market authorizations in 2024.
Globalization in the global meat industry
- 84 additional export-market authorizations were obtained by BRF in 2024.[16]
- 9.9% of total global poultry exports were supplied by BRF in 2024.[16]
- 47.5% of BRF’s net sales came from its International segment in 2024, serving approximately 120 countries worldwide.[16]
- 45,000 tonnes of Australian beef, lamb and goatmeat were processed and distributed annually by Thomas Foods International through its U.S. operations in 2025.[18]
- 7 industrial meat-processing facilities operated in BRF’s International segment at December 31, 2024.[16]
Cultural adaptation in the global meat industry
- 73 Costco stores in the southeastern United States stocked Australian lamb pastrami in 2024.[18]
- 318 Japanese consumers participated in a study of meat requirements, sensory perceptions and eating preferences.[74]
- 2.2 billion New Zealand dollars in annual beef and lamb sales were generated by Alliance Group across 65 export markets in 2024.[18]
- 154% was the reported increase in weekly ready-to-eat or deli-meat purchases among U.S. retailers cited in an Australian lamb product-development project in 2024.[18]
- 3 consumer groups were identified in each country in a cross-national study of animal-welfare and country-of-origin preferences for pork.[75]
Supplier management in the global meat industry
- 52,000 sows were held by SunPork, which operated 48 Australian farms, two abattoirs, one value-added plant and four feed mills in 2024.[18]
- 7% of U.S. farms used marketing or production contracts in 2020, down from 13% in 1996.[76]
- 7 farms were operated by SunPork in New Zealand in 2024, alongside its Australian production network.[18]
- 49% of U.S. livestock-production value was produced under contract agreements in 2017, usually between farmers and processors.[77]
- 1.2 million pigs were produced annually by SunPork in 2024, representing more than 20% of Australian pork production.[18]
Stakeholder management in the global meat industry
- 800 new jobs were expected from Walmart’s strategic investment in Sustainable Beef’s Nebraska processing facility by late 2024.[18]
- 18.8% of Brazilian beef exports went to Europe, according to figures cited in 2026 reporting on JBS supply-chain allegations.[78]
- 25% of the North American Great Plains was described as remaining largely intact in a 2020 red-meat sustainability initiative involving Cargill, McDonald’s, Walmart and WWF.[18]
- 10,500 Walmart stores in the United States and 23 other countries were identified as the retailer’s potential market network for Sustainable Beef products in 2022.[18]
- 2.2 million employees worked for Walmart when it invested in Sustainable Beef in 2022, making it a major stakeholder in the beef supply chain.[18]
Distribution channels in the global meat industry
- 22.5% of U.S. grocery-wholesale sales went to restaurants and other food-service operators in 2022, totaling 327.3 billion dollars.[77]
- 6% of meat volume was sold through e-commerce by surveyed Missouri niche meat facilities in 2019.[38]
- 18% of U.S. grocery-wholesale sales were represented by agents and brokers in 2022.[77]
- 33% of meat volume was sold through custom processing for producers by surveyed Missouri niche meat facilities in 2019.[38]
- 24% of U.S. specialty-wholesaler sales were handled by meat distributors in 2022.[77]
16 Statistics
Regional markets
Regional production records are visible in the dataset, including EU poultrymeat at 14.1 million tonnes produced in 2024 and Germany consuming 54.9 kilograms per person in 2025.
The global meat industry in Chicago
- 2,440 meat, poultry and fish cutters and trimmers were employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area in May 2024.[3]
- 7,190 butchers and meat cutters were employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area in May 2024.[3]
- 1,840 slaughterers and meat packers were employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area in May 2024.[3]
The global meat industry in Europe
- 6.6 million tonnes of bovine meat were produced in the EU in 2024, about 3.1% more than in 2023.[5]
- 132 million pigs, 72 million bovine animals and 67 million sheep and goats were recorded in the EU at the end of 2024.[5]
- 14.1 million tonnes of poultrymeat were produced in the EU in 2024, a new production high.[5]
- 21.1 million tonnes of pigmeat were produced in the EU in 2024, 2.2% more than in 2023.[5]
The global meat industry in Poland
- 3.667 million tonnes of poultry meat were produced by Poland’s food industry in 2024.[79]
- 2.3 million tonnes of poultry meat, processed poultry products and live poultry were exported by Poland in 2024.[80]
- 10.9 billion euros of meat products were exported by Poland in 2024, up 8.4% from 2023.[80]
- 5.622 million tonnes of animals for slaughter were produced in Poland in 2024, including 2.907 million tonnes of poultry and 1.738 million tonnes of pork.[79]
The global meat industry in Brazil
- 39.27 million cattle were slaughtered under sanitary inspection in Brazil in 2024, a record and 15.2% more than in 2023.[81]
- 39.27 million cattle were slaughtered in Brazil in 2024, with Mato Grosso accounting for 18.1% of the national total.[81]
- 2.55 million tonnes of fresh beef were exported by Brazil in 2024, a record in the foreign-trade time series.[81]
- 57.86 million hogs and pigs were slaughtered in Brazil in 2024, 1.2% more than in 2023 and a new series record.[81]
- 6.46 billion chickens were slaughtered in Brazil in 2024, 2.7% more than in 2023 and a record for the series beginning in 1997.[81]
The global meat industry in Germany
- 48.7 million farm animals and 693.3 million poultry were slaughtered in German slaughterhouses in 2024.[82]
- 6.9 million tonnes of meat were produced by German commercial slaughterhouses in 2024, up 1.4% from 2023.[82]
- 54.9 kilograms of meat were consumed per person in Germany in 2025, up from 53.5 kilograms in 2024.[82]
- 4.6 million tonnes of meat were consumed in Germany in 2025, 2.7% more than in 2024.[83]
- 120% was Germany’s overall meat self-sufficiency rate in 2024; the rates were 135% for pork, 108% for beef and 100% for poultry.[83]
Key questions about the Global Meat Industry
What is the global meat market size in 2025?
How fast is meat value sales growing toward 2030?
Which companies lead the global meat industry?
What technology shifts are showing measurable adoption in meat supply chains?
How concentrated is production geographically?
What drives pricing changes and risk in 2025?
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Global Meat Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-meat-industry-statistics
Catherine Wu. "Global Meat Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/global-meat-industry-statistics.
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Global Meat Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-meat-industry-statistics.
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Social media in the global meat industry