The worldwide demand for high-protein foods, particularly in China, is putting increasing pressure on Australia's meat processors.
Michael Matthewson, Wiley’s business operations manager for regional Queensland, said the increasing wealth of the middle class means businesses need to act fast.
The Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) predicts a 75 per cent rise in food demand globally by 2050, with 71 per cent coming from Asia. Almost half of that percentage comes from China alone.
“More and more businesses are looking at how they are positioning themselves to meet demand,” Matthewson said.
“The way I see it, there are two types of processors – the high-volume, commodity producers, and the niche operators who specialise in organic, grass-fed, high-end meats.
"We certainly all need to be looking at our facilities and asking how we can differentiate ourselves to face the challenges ahead.”
He said the rise of consumers buying food online would have to be considered, with 41 per cent of Chinese consumers buying their meat online last year.
“I'm encouraging processors to think about what the world will be like in the next 10 or 20 years, and how they can position themselves to meet demand and respond to pressures on margins, productivity, wage rates, energy and so on,” he said.
“We need to be adaptable and flexible, because the pressure is tougher than ever and the competition increasing.
“Although the quality, variety and shelf-life of Australian meat is arguably the world’s best, we are up against emerging new meat exporters in India and Brazil. The world needs protein, and we're not the only ones who can provide it.
“How Australia maintains the quality of our meat exports, given our increasing energy costs and transport infrastructure limitations, will depend on innovation and industry collaboration.”
Whether it's protein, quality or food security that's in demand, Matthewson said it's vital to understand the end consumer.
“Trends come and go, but the key is to be able to adapt to changing demands,” he said.
One current trend in meat processing is materials handling automation that can work intuitively with robotics.
“It's been said that the people who add the most value to a plant are the ones with the knives in their hands,” said Matthewson.
“We need to automate our manual labour and couple it with our machines and robot lines to make them smarter.
“Big data is about capturing and harnessing the Internet of Things to increase productivity, reduce costs, and monitor activity in real time.
“Plants need to think about employing technology more smartly to meet demand and compete effectively.”
