South Africa Meat Market: Protein Demand Shifts, Processing Advances & Growth Outlook

According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, South Africa meat market size reached USD 6.41 Billion in 2024. The market is projected to reach USD 7.64 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 1.96% during 2025-2033.

How AI is Reshaping the Future of South Africa Meat Market:

• AI-driven supply chain optimization enhances efficiency, reducing waste and cost, thereby supporting the price competitiveness of poultry, the largest segment with about 60% consumption.
• Automation in livestock health monitoring, such as AI-powered disease detection systems, can support national efforts like the livestock vaccination drive launched to control foot-and-mouth disease, ensuring stable production and trade.
• AI-based consumer analytics enable producers to respond swiftly to rising health trends by developing and marketing leaner, high-protein meat products tailored to South Africa’s growing health-conscious middle class.

Explore Updated 2026 Market Trends & Analysis

South Africa Meat Market Trends & Drivers:

The growing demand for meat in South Africa has largely been driven by the continued process of urbanization, and by changing consumer lifestyles with an ever-increasing demand for convenience and easy available protein sources. Consumers in urban and metropolitan areas, particularly in the major cities, are moving towards convenience or ready-to-eat value-added meats. Poultry is still the cheapest, most versatile protein available to an enormous section of the population that is suffering from economic stress. From a relative perspective, the share of processed and chilled products is growing and the share of modern grocery is increasing, improving accessibility throughout the country. These dynamics have insulated the market from macroeconomic pressures.

As South Africans become more health conscious, low fat high protein meats are increasingly preferred over other foods. For instance, poultry is preferred to the heavier red meats of many South African dishes. There is a demand for higher quality or free range produce, considered healthier or more nutritious. At the same time, traceability and sustainability are leading consumers to seek cuts of meat from animals that are locally raised and easy to trace, with the trend toward responsible food choices. Poultry is seen to be a leaner meat and fits in well with healthy eating practices; some beef cuts are favored among high protein consumers. Such attitudes produce innovation that pushes the market toward conditions that are more informative to such buyers.

Increases in the processed and convenience meat market are attributed to the growing middle-class population and the need for reliable meat supplies in hotels and restaurants. Modern lifestyles demanding faster meal preparation, coupled with increased demand for packaged, ready-to-cook and snack meat products, have contributed to the growth of poultry consumption. Alternative views say that improvements to retail distribution such as cold-chain technology are helpful, the food service industry has increased meat consumption with meat-centered meals, and ethnic and cultural preferences have historically supported high levels of meat consumption in many populations. These trends in combination are influencing the overall growth and direction of the meat market.

South Africa Meat Industry Segmentation:

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

Type Insights:

• Raw
• Processed

Product Insights:

• Chicken
• Beef
• Pork
• Mutton
• Others

Distribution Channel Insights:

• Supermarkets and Hypermarkets
• Departmental Stores
• Specialty Stores
• Online Stores
• Others

Regional Insights:

• Gauteng
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Western Cape
• Mpumalanga
• Eastern Cape
• Others

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players.

Recent News and Developments in South Africa Meat Market

• January 2025: Astral Foods launched a new range of Southern Style Crumbed Chicken under its Earlybird Farm brand, featuring convenient resealable packaging that improves consumer convenience and extends usability for processed poultry products.
• 2025: The Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) rolled out Phase 2 of its traceability platform, integrating multiple livestock management systems for secure, standardized sharing of animal movement data across farms, auctions, feedlots, and abattoirs, complemented by a free RMIS Movement App to boost inclusivity for smaller producers and enhance disease response and export compliance.
• 2025: South Africa introduced new regulations (R. 6436/2025) for meat analogues, published in July and set to take effect in July 2026, providing clear guidelines on naming and definitions for plant-based alternatives to support the growing sector while addressing labeling clarity and consumer protection.
• 2025: A nationwide livestock vaccination program was launched to combat foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks, initiated in June with key events at major facilities like Karan Beef, aiming to reduce viral spread, ease movement restrictions, and stabilize beef production and trade.
• 2025: RMIS advanced sustainability and innovation efforts through collaborations, including research with the University of Pretoria and Zoetis on evidence-based FMD risk reduction at slaughter to revise outdated regulations, minimize by-product wastage, and improve overall biosecurity and efficiency in red meat processing.

Note: If you require specific details, data, or insights that are not currently included in the scope of this report, we are happy to accommodate your request. As part of our customization service, we will gather and provide the additional information you need, tailored to your specific requirements. Please let us know your exact needs, and we will ensure the report is updated accordingly to meet your expectations.