Today, Australia exports three-quarters of our beef products to over 100 countries. In 2024, our exports to international markets were valued at more than $14 billion.
On a global scale, Australia's beef production only equates to less than 5% of the world's beef and buffalo meat supply. Despite being a small fish in a big pond, Australia's beef industry has been among the most dominant players in global beef trade, now ranked as the second largest beef exporter in the world after hitting new exporting records in 2024.
MLA's Global Market Insights team identifies global demand drivers to help Australian beef exporters stay ahead of the game, and recently collated key insights with a particular focus on sustainability and global consumers.
What's driving consumer behaviour today?
According to Miho Kondo, MLA's Global Market Insights Manager, it's important for Australian producers and processors to understand behaviours and perceptions associated with red meat purchasing to ensure the interest and needs of global consumers are being captured.
"With more than two thirds of our red meat products being consumed by overseas markets, we need to stay on top of what's happening across our shores – where consumer interests are heading and how they are prioritising their purchases," Miho said.
"Among many important trends and demand drivers, sustainability is closely monitored. Our research has found that almost half (46%) of our global consumers listed sustainability as a factor that influences them when shopping for red meat."
However, a similar proportion (44%) said they were unclear about what 'sustainable red meat' actually is.
"It's important to understand that for most consumers, sustainability is just one factor in their decision-making process, becoming increasingly important across markets in the past few years.
"Looking more closely at those who did have some understanding of what sustainability means to them, we're able to uncover why it's one of the influencing factors, and what our industry can do to satisfy that consumer need," she said.
Different markets bring different expectations
When it comes to understanding how sustainability is valued across different markets, MLA Market Insights Managers Amy Chow (Australian, North America, EU and UK markets) and Vivian Harris (Greater China and Middle East markets) looked at the Global Consumer Tracker survey to ask the question – how does sustainability connect with red meat in consumers' minds?
In the United States (US), an established market for Australian beef, most consumers linked sustainability with animal health and welfare, with a focus on animal cruelty and the use of antibiotics and added hormones in animals.
According to Amy, consumers associate these same factors with 'natural' and 'healthy' products, which – despite the cost-of-living pressures – are attributes US consumers are willing to spend more on.
"Consumers in the US want to feel less guilty about eating red meat," Amy said.
"They want assurance they're not supporting animal cruelty and want to ensure their family's wellbeing with naturally good products."
In the Middle East, red meat plays a particularly important role in family and religious life but the region is quite dependent on imports. Food security is a leading need for consumers.
"With their experience of import needs challenged by COVID-19 pandemic supply chain disruptions, consumers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) connect sustainability with having guaranteed access to fresh meat that has been produced in accordance with high animal welfare standards – tying in with halal requirements for meat," Vivian said.
Chinese consumers, again, have a different understanding of sustainable red meat. Consumers have a strong need to trust the safety standards of their food products – which was amplified following the global pandemic.
"For our affluent urban consumers in China, sustainable red meat is understood to relate to practices such as raising animals with clean air, water and soil, resulting in safe and natural meat with no harmful additives."
How Australian producers can target our global markets
While the ways that consumers perceive sustainability differs by region and are likely to continue to evolve, Miho said evidence so far confirms that talking to our consumers in relevant, appealing ways that highlights Australia red meat's advantages, will help Australia compete in global markets.
"Consumers are always thinking 'what's-in-for-me?', particularly in the current economic environment," Miho said.
"Despite regional differences in red meat product priorities, there is an underlying theme of wanting a product that aligns with the safety of animals, the planet and consumers.
"Australia's paddock-to-plate traceability and product integrity systems are strong credentials that build trust in Australia's food safety and sustainability claims. They're also an effective tool to communicate the commitment of Australian red meat industry.
"Regardless of the regional differences, when Australian producers, processors and brands point out our credentials, quality and commitments, customers and consumers see them as strong points of difference – putting us where we need to be to stay competitive in our global markets."
