More than 60% of Chinese consumers want to taste Argentinean meat – AIM Digital

On Wednesday, the Institute for the Promotion of Argentine Beef (Ipcva) unveiled an unprecedented market research conducted by the entity in China, which revealed that "64 percent of consumers in this countries want to test our beef, "AIM told the former president of the entity, Gonzalo Álvarez Maldonado, who noted that" the Asian country currently accounts for more than 50% of our exports. "

This is one of the data that comes from the qualitative market research that was presented today in Buenos Aires." According to the International Consultant Asian Agribusiness Consulting (AAC), the People's Republic of China – which now accounts for more than 50% of Argentina's exports – is a land of great opportunities for our meat to begin to position itself as a high quality product. , segment led by Australia and the United States

The international consultant Asian Agribusiness Consulting (AAC), with twenty years of experience in the East, today presented the results of a qualitative market study. in depth commissioned by the Meat Promotion Institute. Argentina (IPCVA) in the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong

The study included research and interviews with importers, distributors, supermarkets and consumers without neglecting high growth e-commerce in recent years (in which the giants "JD.com" and "T-mall" account for 61% of total sales.)

In addition, The Chinese, who currently consume only six kilograms of beef per year, in will eat 8.1 pounds in 2027. This is not a minor fact, given that it's a market of over 1.3 billion people who do not self-supply not. it will not be able to do this – despite government initiatives in this regard – at least in the short and medium term.

The Chinese market, according to Michael Boddington, the Australian presentation specialist, is very complex and varied. The growth of the economy promotes rapid changes in dietary trends, with increased demand for red proteins.

Traditional marketing systems coexist in the Chinese market (where "hot" meat is sold, almost without cold chain) with increasing sales in large supermarkets and the "boom" of e-commerce, while presenting cultural and gastronomic differences very mercadas in different regions of the country.

In this context, beef is beginning to be considered a very high value protein in a market dominated by pork consumption.

Major cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, consume the most beef Fifty percent of respondents in these cities consume meat once or twice a week, while in the smallest, only 38 % do it. In big cities as well, 42% buy meat in modern supermarkets and not in traditional supermarkets.

E-commerce is an increasingly important platform, especially for imported meat. Although it is 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 retail sales ). the most modern channels but without connection).

The meat industry in China

The meat industry in China is very fragmented. 11 million small producers own 53 million head of cattle, with a production of 7.2 million tons of meat in 2016.

Since it is an offer of the Chinese government for the next few years, competition is expected to increase in both chilled and frozen markets and local production is also expected to increase, but at a pace that will not meet demand, at least in the long run. term.

Meat Imports

Currently, 16 countries are allowed to export beef to China. Among them, at least until now, Australia, the United States and New Zealand (those who work in this market for longer) are best placed in the high-quality segment, while as Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay from the sale of beef in bulk, for the industry. Together, these six countries account for over 95% of the meat imported by China.

In addition, more than 90% of the meat imported by China is frozen and boned, leaving little room for high value fresh meat. who now occupy Australia, New Zealand and the United States. However, according to the expert, this small segment of fresh meat is one that allows these countries to position themselves "in the head" of quality meat.

In China, there are 2,879 meat importers, to a large extent those who control the company, which also presents about five percent of the illegal channels, called "gray".

In 2017, the People's Republic of China imported 688,000 tons of beef, anticipating that this number will exceed millions of tons in less than 10 years.

Chinese imports of frozen meat in 2017 were 688,530 tonnes, valued at $ 2,900 million.

Imports of chilled meat were only 6558 tonnes, valued at $ 73.6 million. The top three suppliers were Australia (90%), the United States (7%) and New Zealand (3%).

Consumers

Up to now, Chinese consumers have a great deal of ignorance of how to cook beef – in addition to its origin and quality – although this aspect rapidly changes from the country's openness to the world and the incorporation of new forms of consumption, a situation that is clearly shown in demand that enrolled in new supermarkets and in online sales .

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

According to the work, 60 percent of respondents know the origin of the country's meat products that they buy and 75 percent believe that the country of origin of the meat "is very important . "

Similarly, the majority of respondents said that the main attributes when choosing meat are "health" and "flavor", two aspects on which Argentina has many conditions for to position yourself.

The Image of Argentine Meat

A Contrary to what is happening in the rest of the world, Argentine beef is "new" in China and our country does not. was able to access this market only in 2011.

However, according to the survey, 86% of the two interviewers have heard of Argentina as a country, 23 for hundred have had the experience of Argentine wine consumption, and 60 percent of respondents know Argentina by the football team. Among those surveyed, only 18% tested Argentine meat, although 64% of them would like to try it.