AMPC investigates fifth quarter potential at Vitafoods Asia
Value from the sections of the carcase known as the fifth quarter, that is offal, by-products, hides and skins, remains largely untapped across the red meat industry.
With advanced processing capability limited and traditional hide markets in decline, processors say remedies are required urgently.
AMPC is on the job.
Extension and Adoption Manager Dave Carew attended the Vitafoods Trade Show Asia in Thailand this month to investigate the opportunities in this area open to the Australian red meat industry to pursue.
"We travelled to Thailand because Australia currently has no equivalent to Vitafoods and that absence matters," he said.
"Without a forum of this scale, we risk missing the global conversations, emerging technologies and market signals shaping the future of nutraceuticals. Being there allowed us to see the opportunity first-hand, build relationships across the supply chain and understand what it will take to create capability and new value channels for Australia’s red meat industry."
Mr Carew said the scale and ambition of the event was striking.
"There were two full exhibition halls, major global players and significant investment in turning agricultural and marine co-products into sophisticated, high-value products," he said.
"Red meat nutraceuticals were surprisingly difficult to find, with Kilcoy’s liver powder one of the few visible examples.
"In contrast, the seafood and horticulture sectors were boldly showcasing their investment in this space, including the launch of a world-first marine iron nutraceutical powder."
Mr Carew said the message was impossible to miss - nutraceuticals for human health and pet nutrition are firmly on the global radar.
"Australia’s red meat industry has an extraordinary 'fifth quarter' resource base and an opportunity to transform what has traditionally been undervalued into premium products and entirely new markets," he said.
"The opportunity is there. Now we need the capability, partnerships, and ambition to capture it."
AMPC was able to connect with the supply chain to find potential supply chain partners at the event.
