Australian Beef Seasonal Outlook: Green Grass and Empty Pens

With breeding cattle inventory recovering from the lowest levels in over 30 years, there’s a unique opportunity to assess and then act on the future for the Australian beef industry. A number of challenges currently confront the Australian beef industry, including high cattle prices, low supplies, and China trade access. Australia’s position in the global protein world needs to be considered in rebuilding the herd.

Is Australia to be a supplier to high-quality niche markets, commodity supplier (of lean beef) to global trade, exporter of live cattle, or exporter of value-added beef to trade markets? “Any or all of these options may apply, but choosing one sets a path for the future. Decisions taken this year are not just about...

Beyond Meat Opens Manufacturing Facility in China 

Beyond Meat announced the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Jiaxing Economic & Technological Development Zone (JXEDZ) near Shanghai. As Beyond Meat’s first end-to-end manufacturing facility outside the U.S., the cutting-edge plant in Jiaxing is expected to significantly increase the speed and scale in which the company can produce and distribute its products within the region while also improving Beyond Meat’s cost structure and sustainability of operations.

Designed to serve China’s growing plant-based meat market, the facility will produce Beyond Meat’s innovative range of plant-based pork, beef and poultry products, including Beyond Pork™, the company’s first innovation created specifically for the Chinese market. By producing closer to the consumer and...

Rong Shing Trading Recalls Ineligible Beef Products Imported from China

Rong Shing Trading Inc., a Brooklyn, N.Y. firm, doing business as Double R Trading Inc., is recalling approximately 3,365 pounds of Chinese style hot pot base products containing beef tallow. The products were imported from the People’s Republic of China, a country ineligible to export beef to the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The Chinese style hot pot base products were imported on or around February 14, 2020. The following products are subject to recall...

U.S. Top Chicken and Turkey Exporter to China

The U.S. was the top exporter of chicken and turkey to China in the first two months of the new year, according to newly released data from the General Administration of Customs China (GACC).

In January, the U.S. surpassed Brazil for the third consecutive month as the leader for broiler imports by China with a total of 56,214 tons, compared to 51,290 tons by...

BC Food LA, LLC Recalls Ineligible Beef Products Imported From China

BC Food LA, LLC., a South El Monte, Calif. firm, doing business as B & C Food Co., is recalling approximately 1,643 pounds of Chinese style hot pot base products containing beef tallow. The products were imported from the People’s Republic of China, a country ineligible to export beef to the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

The Chinese style hot pot base products were imported on or around June 24, 2020. The following products are subject to recall...

African Swine Fever: A Global Update – Ongoing Change in Global Pork Markets in 2021

African swine fever is actively influencing pork markets around the world, creating many areas of uncertainty – mainly in China, but also in Germany – which will not be resolved quickly. The implications of ASF for world pork trade are a major swing factor in global pork markets.

ASF influence on pork markets: China is the most obvious country where ASF continues to have a major influence. Its spread over winter highlights the challenges of managing this disease, and it has complicated the picture of China’s pork supply and demand. The ongoing pressure from ASF’s spread in Germany is also...

Challenges Facing Foodservice Industry in 2020 Spurred Significant Growth in Off-Premises Services

The COVID-19 pandemic shook the world in 2020, leading to one of the steepest declines the global foodservice industry has experienced in recent history, according to global information company The NPD Group.

The pandemic interrupted years of growth in foodservice, causing a 20% drop in global sales and a 21% decline in total visits in 2020, to 958 billion euros ($1.157 trillion USD).

While mandated lockdowns restricted dine-in options, consumer demand for restaurant food was not abated, leading to unprecedented growth in...

Urner Barry Releases March Pulse Protein Report 

Purchases of North American yellow peas for Chinese pork feed formulations have contributed to yet another consecutive month of increased yellow pea prices. On February 16th, the USDA reported an average increase of $2.30/cwt to $12.30/cwt in whole yellow peas offering producers some of the...

Beef Quarterly Q1 2021: New Drivers in Cattle Innovation

Increasing awareness of the need to improve environmental and social outcomes, together with a growing appetite from investors in animal protein, are creating new opportunities and growth in cattle innovation.

“We believe that research and innovation in the beef industry will continue to evolve but we are currently enabled by two main catalysts that will stimulate this further. Firstly, new investors in the space and secondly, the sustainability drive that not only seeks production improvements but also creates...

Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic, Meat Contraband from China Hit Record Levels

In calendar year 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of shipments containing prohibited pork, chicken, beef and duck products arriving from China intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists in Los Angeles, nearly doubled compared with the previous year.

From Jan. 1, to Dec. 31, 2020, CBP in Los Angeles issued 1,049 Emergency Action Notifications (EAN) compared to 527 in 2019, a 99 percent increase. When unmanifiested/prohibited animal products are intercepted, CBP issues...

ANALYSIS: Tightened Supplies Help Push Cash Hog Prices Higher

Following a tumultuous year of predominately negative returns, the tides appear to be turning for...

U.S. Poultry and Egg Exports Soared in 2020

U.S. broiler and egg exports increased in both volume and value in 2020, a year in which the industry set several all-time records in key markets despite the complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to trade data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, the value of broiler exports to China reached an all-time high; the volume of broiler exports to Mexico was...

ANALYSIS: Seasonal Trend Highlights Turkey Exports

Following a challenging and somewhat underwhelming year of turkey trade activity, the most recent monthly export figures through December 31^st, displays a modest...

Yum China Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Results

Yum China Holdings, Inc. reported unaudited results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2020.

Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak and Mitigation Efforts

Fourth quarter operations improved sequentially from the third quarter. The Company's primary focus continues to be safety, efficiency and sales recovery. To counter the pandemic impact, we ran strong value and digital campaigns to drive traffic. Delivery and takeaway remained popular, while dine-in recovered sequentially. Proactive cost structure realignment, productivity improvements and one-off cost savings helped...

Urner Barry Releases February Pulse Protein Report

Purchases of North American yellow peas for Chinese pork feed formulations have contributed to another consecutive month of increased yellow pea prices. On January 19th, the USDA reported an increase of $1.25/cwt to $10.00/cwt in whole yellow peas- offering producers some of the highest prices to date. North American green peas and garbanzo beans have also seen similar price increases- though comparatively weaker green pea demand is expected to...

Pork Quarterly Q1 2021: Looking for Growth Amid Uncertainties

Rising disease pressures continue to challenge the global market. While African swine fever (ASF) continues to impact pork production in Asia and Europe, as well as global trade flows, Covid-19 keeps affecting the whole supply chain, from producers to consumers. However, demand is expected to rebound in most regions in 2021 due to economic recovery.

Global pork supply will grow in Asia and North and South America, but face more challenges in Europe. “While China continues to dominate global trade, China’s expected reduction in imports in 2021 will...

PODCAST: Time for a Toddcast - Todd Thurman of SwineTex Consulting

This week on Market Digest we are joined by founder and consultant Todd Thurman of SwineTex Consulting. Laura and Todd speak about African swine fever in China, the state of...

JUST Egg Product to Be Served at Leading Fast-Food Chain in China

Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc., an investment issuer focused on the global plant-based and alternative food sector, is announcing that Dicos, one of China's leading fast-food chains, has added Eat Beyond portfolio company Eat Just Inc.'s product JUST Egg to its menu at over 500 locations.

Dicos is one of the largest foodservice companies in China, with 2,600 stores across 32 provinces and autonomous regions serving 600 million consumers annually.

Dicos' conventional egg patty will be replaced with...

Urner Barry Releases January Soy and Wheat Protein Report

Following initially dismal reports on wheat consumption, the USDA recently lifted global wheat consumption estimations by 5.1 million tons to 757.8 million tons based on higher demand for feed in China. Driven by a recovering pork market, China poses a strong demand side pull on...

ANALYSIS: November’s Turkey Export Figures Paint a Mixed Picture

Last month’s uptick in in total year-over-year turkey export tonnage was short-lived, as November’s figures fell back in line with...

Hot Dogs and Sausages Market Expected to Reach $96.4 Billion by 2025 

According to Research and Markets, the hot dogs and sausages market are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.08% over the forecast period to reach a market size of US$96.405 billion in 2025 from US$75.839 billion in 2019.

The rate at which urbanization is taking place which in turn is buttressed by globalization and rural to urban migration is facilitating the adoption of new consumption trends which have accommodated the inclusion of sausages and hotdogs among others. As of 2018, North America was the most urbanized region of the world, wherein the urban areas constituted...

Poultry Quarterly Q1 2021: A Perfect Storm in 1H, Initial Recovery in 2H 2021

After the big disruption caused by Covid-19 in 2020, the poultry industry will face additional challenges in 2021, especially in 1H. Covid-19 will place ongoing pressure on foodservice and trade, and the consequent slow economic growth will lead to more price-driven market conditions. As market fundamentals appear challenging for 2021, the poultry industry should prepare for a tough year.

“Looking forward, we see four main challenges for the global poultry industry: ongoing Covid-19 impacts on markets, high and volatile feed prices, China’s African swine fever recovery, and...

ANALYSIS: Update on German Pork Exports in Wake of ASF Outbreak

African Swine Fever case counts in Germany have exceeded 200, according to some sources. Since finding the first case of ASF on...

Meat Industry Reacts to President-Elect Biden's Choice for U.S. Trade Representative

President-elect Joe Biden announced he will nominate House Ways and Means Committee trade lawyer Katherine Tai as U.S. trade representative. Tai’s career at USTR began in 2007 as an associate general counsel. In 2014, she was named chief counsel for China trade enforcement, overseeing disputes between Washington and Beijing at the World Trade Organization. She left that role in 2014 to join House Ways and Means and in 2017 was named chief trade lawyer for Chair Richard Neal (D-MA).

The North American Meat Institute supports the choice. Tai, who would become the first Asian American to hold the role of USTR, speaks fluent mandarin and has experience as...

Retail Imports Still Strong after Setting New Records for The Holiday Season

Imports remain strong after setting new records this fall as retailers stocked up both stores and warehouses for the holiday season and met new demands for quick delivery of online orders, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“The pandemic has made the past year one of the most trying the supply chain has ever seen, but retailers have met that challenge,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “We’ve gone from not knowing whether we would be able to...

ANALYSIS: Turkey Exports Find Some Q4 Lift

After nine months of consecutive year-over-year reductions in total turkey export volume, October marks...

Policy Issues Affecting the Meat Industry 

In a webinar hosted by the North American Meat Institute, experts explored what is on the horizon for trade policy, industry structure, and antitrust as President-elect Biden is set to occupy the White House come January. These Washington D.C. insiders shared a wealth of experience and valuable insights as the meat industry navigates new policy dynamics.

Panelists included Ambassador Darci Vetter, former Chief Agricultural Negotiator, USTR and Global Lead, Public Affairs and Vice Chair, Agriculture and Food, Edelman; and...

Election Results – Where Are We Now? 

With the Presidential election, the House, and a runoff election to determine the Senate Majority, the only thing certain in Washington is change. In a webinar hosted by the North American Meat Institute, a panel of experts provided insights and discussed the outcome of key races, the make-up of committees and leadership of Congress, pending changes of cabinet officials, and a new relationship between the White House and Congress, which together shape the agenda in Washington.

Panelists included the Honorable Blanche Lincoln, former Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry and Founder & Principal, Lincoln Policy Group; the Honorable Krysta Harden, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; and...