Future opportunities for exports of quality British dairy and red meat to North America have been highlighted by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
In their Prospects for UK agri-food exports: North America, AHDB noted that red meats and dairy products are staple foods in all diets across North America, and highlighted the potential for UK exporters to supply these markets with high quality protein.
AHDB said: “Consumption of red meat and dairy in North America, particularly the US and Canada, is well above the global average; and demand is predicted to remain stable for the next decade.”
Dairy exports to North America could be the biggest winner, with there being an anticipated increase in cheese consumption by 11% on average by 2034, according to the report.
The latest updates analysed by AHDB have revealed that artisanal British cheese is well-placed to capitalise through North American consumers, due to their appetite for premium products that they believe are good value based on the quality of the product.
Lucy Randolph, AHDB head of International Trade Development (Dairy), said: “The US is the UK’s second biggest dairy export market.
“Our dairy exports have an established reputation in the US market, supported by promotional work of our in-market representative Victor Willis.
The updated AHDB analysis underlines the strong opportunity for the growth of cheese exports in this important market”.
AHDB has also highlighted great opportunities for UK’s red meat exporters in the North American market, due to higher than global average consumption levels.
There is also an anticipated 1% growth in the US for consumption of sheep meat over the next decade.
This coupled with projected increases in consumption of pork and beef in Mexico could also provide the UK red meat exports with more opportunities.
The attraction of grass-fed, high-welfare, and hormone-free credentials of UK red meat and dairy are important points of difference for the North American consumers, who are willing to pay more to satisfy health-conscious and sustainability motivations, the report said.
Jonathan Eckley, AHDB director of International Trade Development, said: ” Our beef exporters can now benefit from the Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) with the US, enabling them to ship 13,000t of beef tariff-free to this high-value market.
“Heritage and provenance of British produce can also act as an important selling point for American consumers, especially with territorial dairy products such as Stilton and Cheddar, which our exporters can potentially capitalise on.”
According to AHDB, although UK dairy exporters lost access to the EU cheese quota in 2024, it is hoped that “once Canada ratifies the UK’s accession to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), exporters can benefit from the increased access it provides”.
