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Traceable, packaged, certified: The next chapter of meat in India
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Monday, 11 May, 2026, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
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Dr Prashant Sahni, Devank Choudhary & Divyansh Choudhary
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The way a nation sources and consumes its daily protein is undergoing a rapid structural revolution. Gone are the days when purchasing daily dietary protein was exclusively synonymous with crowded, unhygienic wet markets and roadside butcher shops relying on rudimentary processing practices. Today, this massive unorganised trade is swiftly surrendering ground to a highly organised, tech-driven, and quality-controlled ecosystem. The global meat market size was valued at an estimated US$1.5 trillion in 2025. This market is projected to reach US$1.8 trillion by 2034. This reflects a steady (CAGR) of 1.95% during the 2026–2034 forecast period. While the global poultry market size was valued at US$491.02 billion in 2025. This industry is expected to grow from US$521.95 billion in 2026 to a massive US$910.24 billion by 2034. This translates to a robust CAGR of 7.20% over the forecast period. The combined meat and poultry market in the Asia-Pacific region stands as a formidable economic powerhouse, with its market size valued at an estimated US$683.11 billion in 2025. The regional market size is anticipated to reach a substantial US$845.29 billion by 2031, advancing at a steady Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.61% over the 2026–2031 period.
According to the latest 2025 industry assessments, the broader Indian meat market size was valued at an impressive US$60.0 billion in 2025. Driven by intense urbanisation, shifting dietary habits, and deeper cold-chain penetrations, this market is aggressively projected to reach US$124.2 billion by 2034, advancing at a robust (CAGR) of 8.42%. The Indian poultry market alone was valued at approximately Rs 2,636 billion (roughly US$31.7 billion) in 2025. Fuelled by the booming quick service restaurant (QSR) culture and modern retail, the poultry segment is expected to scale phenomenally to Rs 8,433 billion by 2034, recording a massive CAGR of 13.80%. A significant share of India’s meat production comes from a handful of high-output states such as West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which together account for well over half of the country’s total supply. Among these, states like Telangana consistently report some of the highest per-capita meat availability, reflecting strong local consumption and a well-developed production base.
Linking Farm to Fork: Impact of HoReCa
The HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant, and Catering) sector has witnessed rapid expansion and transformation over the years. This sector is not merely buying raw materials; it is injecting billions of dollars into the formal economy, enforcing strict standardisation, and seamlessly balancing the immense demand for both poultry and red meat products. The Quick Service Restaurant market is valued at an impressive US$27.80 billion in 2025 and projected to scale to US$47.28 billion by 2031 (CAGR of 9.26%). Global fast-food chains offer a variety of poultry products like crispy chicken wings, uniform breast fillets for burgers, perfectly shaped chicken nuggets, and standardised popcorn chicken. The impact of the HoReCa sector on the red meat industry is equally significant. The rapidly expanding cloud kitchen segment depends heavily on standardised, high-quality mutton cuts for dishes such as biryani, minced meat (keema) for traditional curries, and well-textured buffalo meat for preparations like galouti kebabs and premium burger patties.
Convenience Meets Growth: FMCG & Ready-to-Cook Boom
The Indian meat and poultry industry is currently experiencing a massive structural pivot with the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) sector leading the charge. While traditional fresh and chilled raw meat continues to dominate the overall market, accounting for approximately 67.85 percent of the share, the processed and Ready-to-Cook (RTC) segment is steadily expanding its presence, driven by the growing preference among urban consumers for convenience and hygiene. There is an exponential rise of the broader Indian ready-to-cook meals market, which was valued at US$7.1 billion in 2025 and is expanding at a 5.90% CAGR. As urbanisation accelerates and the number of dual-income households increases, time-constrained consumers are increasingly seeking quick and convenient meal solutions that eliminate the labour-intensive processes of washing, cutting, and marination, while still preserving the authentic flavours of traditional Indian home cooking. Quick-commerce delivery apps are now heavily stocked with regionally specific RTC items such as Chettinad marinated chicken, Amritsari fish tikka, pre-skewered Lucknowi seekh kebabs, and Malabar-spiced mutton chops. There is an immense, noticeable surge in demand for "air-fryer-friendly" RTC meats. Health-conscious millennials are actively seeking pre-breaded, low-oil processed poultry products, such as chicken popcorn, nuggets, and wings, that crisp up perfectly without deep-frying, effectively merging indulgence with fitness goals.
Optimising Product Integrity: Strategic Role of Packaging
The shift from traditional unorganised wet markets to a formal, hygiene-focused retail system is increasingly driven by modern packaging, which goes far beyond being just a wrapper. In the meat industry, it plays a crucial role in maintaining safety from contamination, keeping products fresh for longer, and making them far more convenient for consumers to store, handle, and use. Today, this evolution is reflected in a wide range of packaged offerings, from canned meat products to vacuum-packed cuts designed for extended shelf life and improved convenience. Canning is a long-established meat preservation, allowing products to remain stable at ambient conditions for extended periods. This makes it particularly relevant in markets with underdeveloped cold-chain logistics. Canned and shelf-stable meat products form a small but growing niche within the broader Indian canned food market, which itself is projected to rise steadily as modern trade formats, emergency stocking habits and travel-friendly foods become more common. The India canned meat market majorly includes the products including ready-to-eat meat curries, stews, and canned chicken luncheon meat. Vacuum packaging is widely used in meat processing to reduce oxidation, limiting microbial growth, and preventing freezer-related quality loss. Vacuum packaging has demonstrated great product quality in products such as chicken salami, pork pepperoni, and frozen items like kebabs, nuggets, and meat patties. Further, modified atmosphere packaging of meat products like fresh chicken cuts and minced meat products such as keema, allows wholesome and fresh products over time.
Certification for Trust and Trade: Influence of Halal and Kosher Standards
Today the role of dietary certifications has transcended their traditional religious boundaries. Halal and Kosher certifications are no longer viewed solely as cultural or theological mandates; they have evolved into globally recognised benchmarks for food safety, ethical sourcing, and stringent hygiene. Global demand for Halal-certified food, including meat, is estimated at close to one trillion US dollars, with steady growth expected as Muslim consumer markets expand and non-Muslim consumers also show interest in certified products. India, as a major exporter of buffalo meat, relies heavily on Halal compliance to serve key markets in the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia. By carrying a verified Halal stamp, domestic processors instantly build consumer trust regarding the bleed-out process. Some examples are Halal-certified frozen chicken seekh kebabs, ready-to-cook minced lamb. The Kosher food segment in India remains a small, specialised niche, but is viewed as a high-value opportunity in export and select domestic premium markets, especially for processed and value-added meat products. Kosher certification is governed by strict rules on how animals are slaughtered, how meat is processed, and how meat and dairy are handled and stored, including the requirement that they are kept separate. Because of this emphasis on clear procedures, careful supervision, and detailed record-keeping, many non-Jewish consumers also view Kosher-certified products as a reliable option when they are looking for foods produced under stringent handling and inspection standards. In the premium retail space, consumers are eagerly purchasing Kosher-certified specialised poultry sausages, premium cured beef cuts, and specialised deli cold-cuts.
Transforming Tomorrow: Future Trends and Innovations
Looking ahead, the meat and poultry sector will be shaped less by sheer volume growth and more by technological, culinary and supply chain innovation. Cultured or cultivated meat, which involves growing real animal tissue directly from cells, is one emerging area under active exploration as a long-term complement to conventional livestock, with the potential to ease pressure on land, water and other resources. Innovations in differentiated product formats and digital traceability are gaining momentum. Speciality items such as region-specific meat pickles and premium marinated cuts are gaining traction among urban consumers looking for both novelty and convenience. QR codes that give information on origin, processing and cold chain history at the point of purchase ensures safety to the consumer. Together, these shifts indicate that the industry’s future will be defined not only by how much meat India produces, but by how that meat is produced, processed, certified and delivered, as the sector steadily integrates food technology, data, safety, sustainability and evolving consumer expectations.
(Dr Sahni is assistant professor at College of Dairy and Food Technology, Agriculture University, Jodhpur and can be contacted on ftech.sahni@gmail.com)
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