Frozen meat picks up steam

Frozen meat has become trendy on the list of customers’ choice in line with the pandemic-induced lifestyle changes.

The online food delivery services have played another key role in the growing demand for the refrigerated meats.

Besides, the demand for ready-to-eat food, a growing number of workforce and rising penetration of online purchases are the contributory factors for driving the local frozen meat market.

The business insiders claimed that the frozen meat industry grows at 7 per cent to 10 per cent per annum.

The city super shops including Agora, Lavender super store, Prince Bazar and Mehedi Mart are found selling frozen meat more than ever before, and such type of protein consumption is currently in vogue among consumers.

Local meat processing firms like Bengal Meat, Golden Harvest provide frozen meat and fish for the domestic market.  

Frozen meat and fish items including Beef Peeproni sell at Tk 1,360 per kg, Chicken Chili Tk 1,195 per kg, Smoked Chicken Tk 985 a kg and Smoked Fish Tk 790 a kg in various super shops in the capital.

Talking to The Business Post, AFM Asif, CEO of Bengal Meat Processing Industries, said: “Frozen items are witnessing a rising sale due to the pandemic as many people look for fresh and healthy food.”

Among the customers, frozen chicken is the most favourite, dominating the super shops. The market is growing at a tentative rate of 7-10 per cent every year.

The CEO said the demand for frozen meat is rising on a par with the Covid-19 infection, and the pandemic is playing a key role in boosting the demand for it.

“We introduced frozen meat items considering our customer safety,” he pointed out.

Keya Sarker, a customer service agent for Bengal Meat, said: “In our country we took the initiative to sell frozen meat, and are getting a very positive response from our customers.”

The service provider said frozen meats are also sold in port city, Sylhet and Narayanganj alongside in the capital whereas their online delivery services are also available.

Konica Das, a customer support executive, Mehedi Mart at Bashundhara, opined that they have a very good collection of frozen meats, and their frozen meat is gaining popularity among the high income group of people, especially among the younger generation.

Talking to The Business Post, Mohammad Sazzadur Rahman, assistant general manager, Marketing, Golden Harvest Group, stated that primarily, consumers have turned to frozen meat in the wake of pandemic, which forced them to make a hassle-free buy. Besides, people’s eating habits are also changing day by day.

“Our raw meat processing business is on trial now. Following the trial run, it will be marketed. Currently, we are only proving ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meat in the local market. Still, there is a big demand-supply gap regarding the meat business in our country,” he explained.

Sazzadur estimated that around 20,000 people are involved in frozen meat business following a complete hygiene rule from beginning to end of meat processing.

“I prefer frozen meat as it saves time in our hectic life. Besides, packages of frozen items have ingredient and nutrition labeling which gives us an exact idea about the products,” according to Amanna Nawshin, a customer at Agora.

During the pandemic, frozen food is much safer, she said, adding that they are nutritious and full of energy, and all you have to do is heat them and serve.

Acosta, a sales and marketing agency, focusing on the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, finds that consumers are buying more frozen food since the pandemic began because they are eating healthier, cooking at home more and adhering to a budget.

“As Covid-19 set in, consumers began eating at home more out of necessity. To adapt, they searched for new ways to cook creatively — and for many, frozen foods were the answer,” said Colin Stewart, executive vice-president, Business Intelligence at Acosta.

The global frozen meat market size was valued at $73.3 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4% from 2019 to 2025.

The growth of the market is attributed to change in lifestyle and food preferences, seasonality and increase in adoption of ready to eat food.

Technological advancements to increase the shelf life of frozen products and continuous efforts to provide the best quality products, especially meat items, are accelerating the growth of this market, according to the report published in May, 2019 by Grand View Research, an India and US-based market research and consulting company.

According to the report of Business Wire, an American company, the global frozen meat market will grow with a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period from 2019-2025.