Great British Beef Week 23-30 April 2018

Great British Beef week returns for its eighth consecutive year, from 23th-30th April 2018. This year there’s good news for the sector, because as noted in our most recent meat, fish and poultry (MFP) update, sales of beef are up.

It continues to be the key protein in red meat and is seeing a return to annual growth in 2018, with the market growing £19.6million over the last year.

A staggering 9 in 10 grocery shoppers (86%) buy beef annually - equivalent to the population of Australia! These shoppers are making 39.4 million trips a year – and beef is present in 5.4% of all grocery baskets. Mince and marinades are driving growth for the category which ties nicely to the dominant category trends in meat – home cooked dishes and convenience.

Mince is a key component of popular dishes such as bolognaise and lasagne, whilst marinades appeal as quick and easy options which help home chefs create tasty meals with little effort.

Nathan Ward, Business Unit Director for MFP, explains: “We know that beef is suffering compared to chicken in terms of growth, but there’s still scope for growth in these tough conditions by meeting consumers’ needs. Shoppers want quick, delicious, and easy meals which are simple to cook and healthy(ier), and beef can play a great role in all of these."