Consumer demand dictates capitalism.
It’s what the people want that informs where the investment goes.
And yes, the absolute pursuit of capitalism is to influence the desires of the people…
…but ultimately, it’s what the people want that actually sells…
…and thus, capitalism is not an exact science.
(Because what the people want cannot easily be predicted, nor can the control be retained…much like water – unstable.)
“If breast meat is worth $2 a pound and dark meat is worth $1, which do you think I’d rather have?” This was the question Don Tyson posed some 30 years ago at the International Poultry Exhibition. His reasoning lies at the foundation of the US poultry industry’s shift to a chicken with higher breast meat yield.”
“It was this quest for breast meat that brought the Cobb 500 broiler breeder to the United States and 2008 marked the 25th anniversary of its introduction. [The] breed was originally selected and developed in England during the 1970s when the more upmarket retailers were seeking a product that would look good on their fresh meat shelves.”
“With the frozen chicken still dominant, there was growing interest in a chicken with a superior conformation that would look good as a fresh, air chilled product – one that would not show the sharp keel bone when tray-packed under clear plastic.”
“In the early 1970s the research and development team led by Janey Barnard had begun selecting breeding stock with a less pronounced keel bone – largely done through the ‘feel’ of the breast meat. In doing so they were selecting for birds with more breast meat, creating a fuller appearance on the existing broiler frame, which, in turn, made the finished product more appealing to consumers.” – Broiler Beginnings: Small Bets, Big Vision (The Poultry Investor)
As seen in the quotes above, 25 years post-war, industrialisation and growing consumer culture led to more disposable household incomes and less time spent at home.
Along with that, higher incomes meant a more sophisticated expectation. People were becoming pickier about what products they chose to spend on.
What a chicken or eggs looked like began to matter more.
Retailers became more aware and commercial producers began their quest to breed the definitive poultry product for consumers.
Fast forward 50 years, and Cobb’s original ‘500’ broiler still rules the roost for one of the best-selling chickens worldwide.
That being said, nothing in the real world remains still.
As the generations emerge, so do new attitudes and desires – replacing those of generations past.
And of course, this directly impacts what people buy,
And yet one thing remains constant: the businesses that ignore change do so at their peril.
So, whilst bigger, fuller, paler chicken meat has largely dominated the commercial food landscape.
New trends are rising that present abundant opportunities and risks for today’s poultry entrepreneur.
Carefully observe consumer behaviour to stay relevant and profitably invested in today’s changing poultry market. Make no presumptions.
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