European Poultry Market Growing And Still Has Much Potential

This overview of the European poultry market predicts growth of 8% by the year 2015, with consumption anticipated to grow by 9% in the European Union (EU); average EU poultry consumption was 22.2 kg per capita in 2008.

Global poultry consumption patterns are changing. In 1970, 70% of the poultry sold in the U.S. was whole and 11% was further processed, while in 2009 only 4% was sold whole and 48% was further processed. Moreover, since the 1980s fast food has changed the market even more by introducing nuggets, wraps, and other highly-processed foods; foodservice outlets now account for 42% of chicken sales in the U.S.

In Britain, the five largest retailers account for 85-90% of poultry sales. By the year 2030, experts predict that poultry will overtake pork as the world’s preferred animal protein. As a whole, the global market for meat will increase by 40% over the next 20 years, although 70% of the growth in demand will come from Asia, and in particular from China.