The chicken industry, especially in the United States, is one of the most successful sectors in agriculture. In a little over 50 years, the industry has advanced from fragmented, locally oriented businesses into a highly efficient, vertically integrated, progressive success story, increasingly supplying customers nationwide and around the globe.
Poultry meat, particularly chicken, is a staple diet in most households around the world. The modern chicken industry produces wholesome, high quality products that become more affordable year after year. Much of the success of the industry can be attributed to an efficient structural organization, improved production and processing technologies and a continuing responsiveness to consumer demands.
Appetite for poultry on the rise
It’s no surprise that poultry consumption is predicted to overtake beef and pork by 2050. Global meat consumption continues to rise and chicken’s future is bright compared with other animal proteins, driven by low global grain and energy prices and growing demand. Poultry is also more sustainable. Chickens produce more meat with less grain when compared to other animal proteins.
USDA figures show that there was a decline in beef consumption over demands while there was a sharp and steady rise in chicken consumption. No one is really sure what explains the decline, some academics point to price changes and fad-diet driven shifts in public perception. Beef consumption peaked in the mid-1970s, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, while chicken consumption has doubled since that time.
Can the poultry industry keep up?
As consumer behaviors change world-wide, poultry producers need to be prepared to keep up with the demand. The industry is a low-margin, high-volume industry. When mistakes happen, they are very costly. This calls for integrated planning that connects every link in the supply chain, from production planning to transportation scheduling.
Leading meat producers like Moy Park, JBS and Vion have improved operational efficiency and profitability with DELMIA Quintiq to support their fully connected supply chain.
A fully connected supply chain takes you there
Only when a supply chain is fully connected can you gain a strong competitive edge and thrive in any market condition. We at DELMIA Quintiq have a vision of what the fully connected meat supply chain looks like and how poultry producers can get there. Find out the full details here.
