Chinese consumers want to taste Argentine beef

The study included research and interviews with importers, distributors, supermarkets and consumers, without neglecting e-commerce, which has grown rapidly in recent years. In this context, giants such as "JD.com" and "T-mall" account for 61% of total sales.

"Today, China accounts for more than 50% of our exports, so it is very important to study the market for design strategies allow us not only to increase sales destined to the industry, but also to position ourselves as high quality meat at a better price, "said Ulises Forte, president of the IPCVA.

The first point to take In account of this work is that the Chinese, who currently consume only 6 kilograms of beef a year, will eat 8.1 kilos in 2027. This is not a minor fact, given that it s' is a market of more than 1.300 million people who do not self-supply and will not be able to – despite government initiatives in this area – at least in the short and medium term.

The Chinese market, according to Michael Boddington, the specialist for the Australian in charge of the presentat ion, it is very complex and diverse, and the growth of the economy promotes dizzying changes in dietary patterns, with a greater demand for red proteins.

In the Asian giant, traditional marketing systems coexist (in which "hot" meat is sold, almost without cold chain) with increasing sales in large supermarkets and the "boom" of electronic commerce, while presenting very common cultural and gastronomic differences in the different regions of the country. 19659002] In this context, beef is beginning to be considered a very high value protein in a market dominated by pork consumption. The largest cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, have the highest consumption of beef. 50% of respondents in these cities consume meat once or twice a week, while in the smallest, only 38% do so. Similarly, in the big cities, 42% buy meat in modern supermarkets and not in traditional supermarkets.

E-commerce is an increasingly important platform, especially for imported meat. Although it still acts of a segment that represents a small market share, it is expected to grow faster than the traditional retailer (about 15.9% vs. 9.5% in sales to the detail in the channels). The most modern, but not connected.)

Up to now, Chinese consumers are very ignorant of beef cooking methods – in addition to its origin and quality – although this aspect is changing rapidly since Opening the country to the world and the incorporation of new forms of consumption, a situation that is evident in the demand registered in new supermarkets and in online sales.

"China is a land of opportunity for Argentine meat," maintained Boddington. "The Chinese are very curious and are open to discovering new countries and new gastronomic experiences, and 64% of those surveyed in supermarkets said they would like to taste Argentine meat."

According to the work, 60% of respondents know the origin of the country's meat products that they buy and 75% believe that the country of origin of the meat "is very important ". Similarly, most interviewees stated that the main attributes of meat choice are "wholesomeness" and "flavor", two aspects on which Argentina has many conditions to position itself.