ANALYSIS: Supply Uncertainty Looms Over the UK Beef Market

UK beef production totaled 300,000 tons between January and May 2025, marking a 10,000 tons (3%) decline compared to the same period in 2024, according to the latest data. Monthly output has consistently lagged 2024 levels, underscoring a persistent downward trend and increasing concerns over supply constraints in the second half of 2025.

Despite lower production volumes, slaughter rates remained strong in the first half of 2025. In May, prime cattle slaughter rose by 3% month-on-month to 178,000 head. Market participants suggest this uptick may reflect producers capitalizing on recent strong prices...

ANALYSIS: New Zealand’s May 2025 Beef Exports Surge 15.7% MoM to 49,281 mt

New Zealand’s beef exports rebounded in May 2025, posting a solid 15.7% rise from April to 49,281 metric tons (mt), according to the latest data from Stats NZ.

Volumes rose 6,676 mt month-on-month (MoM) driven by stronger shipments to the United States (US), China, and Canada. Modest gains to the United Kingdom (UK), Taiwan, and Japan also contributed to the higher May figures.

On the contrary, annual growth continued to be hindered by lower cattle kills. Yearly figures fell 10.2% or 5,581 mt, led by reduced shipments to China and Japan. Allocations to New Zealand’s...

ANALYSIS: YTD EU Egg Exports Down Amid Production Challenges and High Prices

EU egg and egg product exports have declined in the first four months of 2025, dropping to 148,161 tons (egg equivalent weight) from 154,704 tons during the same period last year. This marks a 4.2% year-on-year decrease, indicating a challenging period for the European egg industry. While some export markets such as the UK and Israel have shown growth, the overall trend is downward, with notable declines in shipments to Japan and Thailand and only marginal changes in exports to Switzerland.

The primary factor behind this export contraction is the significant reduction in EU egg production, driven largely by the impact of...

Poland, France Push Back Against at Mercosur Deal

Annie Genevard, France’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty and Czesław Siekierski, the Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, met in Paris on Wednesday. After the meeting, both showed a united front against the EU-Mercosur deal.

France and Poland have been two of the most vocal opponents to the deal signed in December, after around two decades of negotiations. They argue that the deal will not be beneficial for EU agriculture, despite its possible positive effects in other sectors.

“To put it plainly: we cannot sacrifice agriculture...

Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET. 

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

Gartner Says Supply Chain Leaders Must Address Three Priorities Amid Impacts of Israel-Iran Conflict

To help organizations navigate the ongoing impacts posed by the Israel-Iran conflict, Gartner Inc. has identified three critical priorities for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) to implement now to secure their operations.

In response to the ongoing impacts from the conflict, CSCOs should:

1. Assess and mitigate their exposure to new global transportation bottlenecks
2. Prepare CFOs for continued supply chain cost volatility
3. Review supply chain resilience strategies

“As the conflict between Israel and Iran oscillates, CSCOs must leverage...

Diageo Agrees to Sale of Italian Facility to NewPrinces

Formerly known as Newlat Food, an Italian food and drink company now called NewPrinces bought 100% of the share capital for Diageo Operations Italy, according to a Diageo press release which specified the inclusion of the Santa Vittoria production facility.

The site produces a range of alcoholic beverages, ready-to-drink products, and low and no alcohol products, according to a Diageo spokesperson. 

The NewPrinces Group is already a leading player in the soft drinks market in the UK, with revenues of approximately €350 million in this category alone...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #14

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #14."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text...

The Global Dairy Market Unpacked: Pricing, Production & Trade Trends

The dairy sector remains a cornerstone of the agricultural economies in the United States and the European Union. These regions make up 44.7% of global dairy milk production, dairy exports, and innovation in value-added products.

In 2024, the dairy market faced a series of complex challenges that tested its resilience and adaptability. Geopolitical tensions, climate-related disruptions, evolving trade policies, disease outbreaks, and shifting consumer preferences placed pressure on producers and processors alike. Additionally, inflation and global supply chain disruptions impacted trade flows and pricing stability...

Circana’s ‘Eat Play Love’ Report Shows Consumer Indulgence Despite Conservative Daily Spending

On June 12, 2025, Circana released its latest report on consumer spending trends, titled “Eat Play Love,” revealing how European consumers are turning to comfort despite ongoing economic pressures, climate concerns, and global conflicts that continually shape daily life.

According to the report, despite exercising frugality with everyday purchases, European consumers are currently prioritizing food retail, foodservice, prestige beauty, and toy purchases, thus indicating a shift towards “self-soothing consumption” and “mini moments of bliss.”

The report leverages Circana's extensive coverage of European consumer goods across hundreds of...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #13

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #13."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text...

Global Commodities Markets – Q2 2025 Trends and Forecasts

Welcome to the Global Commodities Markets: Q2 2025 trends and forecasts report, where we examine key developments in the global commodity markets.

In an ever-changing economic landscape, getting key insights on essential commodities is crucial for stakeholders across industries.

Each quarter, this report will focus on a few commodities with significant price fluctuations, delivering insights and forward-looking analysis.

Further commodity insights can be explored on the Expana platform, where you’ll find real-time price tracking, access to industry experts and customized alerts...

Ukrainian Poultry Avesterra Group Opens New Processing Plant  

Avesterra Group has invested around €60 million in the construction of a new processing plant in the Volyn region of Ukraine, with a capacity of 13,500 broilers/hour.   

The 30,000-square-meter plant is equipped with modern equipment that meets European standards, and includes 50 technological and auxiliary buildings, as well as treatment facilities with membrane filtration. The plant will process poultry products for three of the company’s brand, it said. Epikur, a hormone-free chicken brand, the more affordable chicken brand Chebaturochka and Hala-certified Delika.

Avesterra hopes to create hundreds of jobs in the new plant and increase its output capacity to address growing demand and access to EU markets, company said. 

Austria And Hungary Join France in Concerns over Mercosur Deal

Representatives from Austria and Hungary met with the French Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Annie Genevard. During the meeting, they “reiterated their strong concerns regarding the proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries,” the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty said.

"Significant quantities of imported products produced under lower standards could lead to the exclusion of European agricultural products,” István Nagy, the Hungarian Minister of Agriculture said. This could, the minister added, weigh on prices and on the profitability of EU...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #12

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #12."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text...

EU Egg Market Sentiment Heading Into Summer

As the EU egg market moves into the summer period, sentiment is becoming increasingly two-sided. Summer is traditionally marked by a seasonal slowdown in trading activity, as consumer habits shift and production schedules ease.

This seasonal dip has already begun to take hold, with buying interest noticeably subdued throughout May. However, the usual expectations of softer summer demand are being weighed against a backdrop of heightened supply-side risk. Concerns over future availability, particularly following avian influenza-related flock reductions in Poland—are beginning to shape market psychology...