With the Brexit Trade agreement coming into force, it is vital to understand what UK businesses can and can’t do under the European Union's new deal. With concessions being made on both sides, UK businesses need to understand this to amend their business operations with EU markets.
One particular factor of the agreement can impact the UK meat industry when trading abroad detrimentally. It restricts and regulates the exportation of certain animal products to the EU including:
- Chilled Minced Red Meat
- Chilled Meat Preparations (e.g. raw sausages)
- Minced Meat (Poultry)
- Poultry and ratite or game bird mechanically-separated meat
- Raw milk from cows infected with Bovine TB
- Ungraded eggs
- Composite products containing dairy products made from unpasteurised milk (a ready meal with unpasteurised cheese)
These restrictions limit the British meat industry’s ability to market their products abroad, reducing its consumer base. As a result, these businesses will need to begin to look for both alternative markets to venture into and adapting their supply chain methods.
Adapting Strategy
As a result of this, UK businesses will inevitably need to be looking to transform their operations to reflect a potential business decline. One opportunity is to look to other new markets that the UK has struck trade agreements with which may have an alternative regulation regarding the trading of animal products.
Alternatively, whilst businesses are strictly unable to trade with certain products, they can begin to push frozen products to EU markets. There are certain pros and cons that may come with adapting distribution to frozen, foremostly, the UK meat industry will still have a strong presence in the EU meat market.
However, in some markets, including the UK, marketing a product as fresh British meat, can quickly position it as a premium product to both the end consumer and food-related industries, including restaurants and supermarkets.
For example, the UK’s raw sausage market is one of the largest globally with many other markets opting for pre-cooked sausages; in doing so, they have increased longevity.
If businesses were to change their product offerings to reflect EU regulations, they chance diminishing their differentiation in a crowded international market. By moving operations into producing frozen products, you can reach the audiences who prefer your products without needing to change quality or uniqueness.
CRS Cold Storage Solutions
At CRS, we have a range of solutions which can facilitate this shifting need for UK businesses. Having worked in the industry for nearly two decades, we have developed a reputation for delivering solutions which meet our client’s objective needs.
The CRS Blast Freezer range is a legally compliant solution that uses leading temperature-controlled technology to ensure that perishables being frozen retain their quality.
Our expertise spans across numerous industries where we can deliver bespoke solutions customised to your business's needs. Available in varied specifications with additional doors and ramps, we can deliver solutions quickly with efficient setup.
Today, get in touch to talk with one of our experts on how we can help you accommodate new methods of storing and transporting your products in a shifting meat industry.
