Grass-Fed Beef Market

Grass-Fed Beef Market Outlook

The Grass Fed Beef Market is valued at USD 13.1 Bn in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 18.1 Bn, growing at a CAGR of 5% by 2033.

Worldwide demand for grass-fed beef soars as the awareness about consumption of clean meat grows amongst the health-conscious consumer clusters. Access to accurate information about livestock being raised on antibiotics for Marbling effect has raised alarms about its exact impact on the environment, as well as the human health. In the light of this scenario, the global grass-fed beef market is expected to witness lucrative opportunities in the coming years. Rearing livestock with an excessive use of antibiotics has been identified as the pre-cursor for myriad health issues observed in both the humans, and cattle. Rampant use of growth hormones and antibiotics over the years has not only impacted cattle health by making them resistant to bacteria but also eventually led to serious illnesses in humans. There have been some radical changes in consumption patterns recently, titling toward eating cleaner meat products.

• Rapidly growing health awareness among consumers will foster demand in global grass-fed beef market
• By 2033 end, grass-fed beef industry will be worth around USD 18.1 Bn
• Between 2026 and 2033, revenue growth of the market is likely to be around 5%
• Grass-fed beef market largely benefits from bigger shelf spaces across retail
• Consistently improving, and sophisticating restaurant menus will drive demand for clean label products like grass-fed beef

Increased Use of Antibiotics, and Rising Prevalence of Livestock Diseases

Global grass-fed beef market is expected to show sustainable growth during the forecast period. General awareness towards personal health, environmental concerns as well as animal welfare are the primary drivers for the growth of the global grass-fed beef market.

In recent years, consumer preference has been actively diverting to the consumption of healthy meat products as the use of antibiotics, supplements and hormones have soared in the production of conventional beef. Awareness to consume better meat products is largely being influenced by promotion of grass-fed beef on TV channels, internet, popular events and documentaries showing repercussions of antibiotics on animals. Additionally, government interventions in creating and promoting new regulatory frameworks to support growth opportunities for better dietary habits have also proven to be in the market's favor.

Growth Challenges

Time-consuming Nature of Cattle Rearing

The grass-fed beef industry has several small players. Processing and distribution remain key challenges for industry players. Most of the of grass-fed cattle are sold by small-scale producers through direct marketing and remaining are procured by large scale manufacturers under contract farming, which requires extra time and resources.

Furthermore, the production of grass-fed beef is a time taking process as cattle are raised on grasses for their entire life. The fully grown beef takes nearly 20 to 26 months. Thus, time and unorganized supply chain are the major constraints for the grass-fed beef market.

COVID- 19 Impact

Many countries are highly dependent on imported grass-fed beef. The US, being one of the largest beef consuming country, accounts for 75-80% imports of its total grass-fed beef sales by value. This statistic was massively disrupted by the outbreak of COVID-19, which brought the supply and sales in grass-fed beef market to a screeching halt.

COVID-19 also created a need for a stringent regulatory framework. Many food regulatory bodies are developing and drafting new laws related to grass-fed beef. For instance, an Irish food board, Board Bia, introduced new standards for supply and distribution of grass-fed beef that allows tracking percentage of grass consumed by the cattle during its life span.

Overview of Key Segments

Conventional Grass-fed Beef Favored

As compared to the organic segment, conventional of grass-fed beef products accounted for a lion's value share of 78.2% in 2020. This mammoth share is attributable to the COVID-19's effect on the global supply chain. Manufacturers have had to rely on the domestic market for the procurement of raw materials, which led to high demand for conventional beef. The raging pandemic that led to low import and export facilities reshuffled trade norms, giving conventional beef segment a major boost in the global grass-fed beef market. The conventional grass-fed beef segment is expected to create an incremental dollar opportunity of US$1,851.9 Mn during the forecast period.

North America, and Latin America Remain Top Consumers

North America and Latin America collectively held a share of 71.6% in the global grass-fed beef market in 2020. Increased preference for quality meat products and environmental concerns have led to these regions to rethink their meat demands.

Research indicates that Asia Pacific is expected to attain significant growth in the global grass-fed beef market with countries such as China, Australia and Japan contributing noticeably in terms of value share. Australia is poised to be one of the largest grass-fed beef producers by the end of the forecast period, predicts Fairfield Market Research. Meanwhile, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina and the U.S will continue to be major grass-fed beef producing countries across the globe.

Key Market Players

Some of the major players studied in the report include:

• JBS S.A.
• Tyson Foods, Inc.
• Cargill, Incorporated
• Perdue Farms Inc.
• Australian Agricultural Company Limited
• Verde Farms, LLC
• Strauss Brands LLC
• Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC
• Meyer Natural Foods
• Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed
• Panorama Organic Grass-Fed Meats
• Organic Prairie
• Pre Brands LLC
• Silver Fern Farms Limited
• Teys Australia

The grass-fed beef market players are collaborating with farmers for a steady supply of grass-fed cattle. Players are also looking at ways to increase production capacity to meet soaring demands.

The Global Grass-Fed Beef Market is Segmented as Below:

By Product Type Coverage

• Raw
  • Cuts
  • Ground/Minced
• Processed
  • Roasted & Precooked
  • Cured Meat
  • Canned

By Nature Coverage

• Organic
• Conventional

By Sales Channel Coverage

• Direct
• Retail
  • Hypermarket/Supermarket
  • Departmental Stores
  • Speciality Stores
  • Independent Small Grocery Stores
  • Online Channel

By Geographical Coverage

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East & Africa