Writing for Food Manufacture, Third Bridge Consumer Sector Analyst Orwa Mohammed explores how the next era of UK meat production is increasingly being shaped by businesses that take greater ownership of their supply chains. Cranswick is highlighted as a good example, with its acquisition of JSR Genetics giving the company end-to-end influence over pig breeding, animal development and finished product specifications. This level of integration allows processors to breed animals precisely to retailer requirements, reduce waste, stabilise supply and protect margins during turbulent market conditions; advantages that are becoming more important as the sector continues to face volatility.

At the same time, Mr Mohammed explains how consumer behaviour is shifting under sustained inflation. Shoppers are moving away from premium and organic products and instead choosing larger, better-value pack formats and affordable quality tiers. Pork and poultry continue to hold up well, driven by their relatively low price per kilo and versatility in family meals. Yet even as demand evolves, producers looking to expand face growing obstacles. Strict planning rules around traffic, ammonia emissions, local resistance, tighter welfare regulations and heightened biosecurity concerns all limit the ability to scale. Taken together, these forces suggest that the businesses best positioned for the future will be those that improve efficiency and control within the supply chain rather than relying on physical expansion alone. You can read Mr Mohammed’s full article in Food Manufacture.

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