Large pig slaughterhouses in Germany are conquering the market
During the pandemic year, large slaughterhouses in Germany have consolidated their position covering more than 82% of pig slaughter in the country, according to a report issued by the German Group of Pig Breeders (ISN). The number of pigs slaughtered in 2020 amounted to 53.28 million head. This represents a reduction of 1.91 million animals compared to 2019 (-3.5%). However, deliveries made to the ten largest slaughterhouses in the country, however, were only reduced by 1.4%, standing at 43.77 million pigs. Thus, the aggregate market share of these ten operators increased from 80.4% in 2019 to 82.2% in 2020, says the report.
The largest pork producer in the country, Tonnies reduced the slaughter figures compared to the previous year to 16.3 million pigs (-2.4%) due to a halt in operations caused by a COVID-19 outbreak in its largest abattoir. However, the reductions in Tönnies deliveries were less prominent than those observed in the federal average; its market share increased by 0.3% compared to 2019, standing at 30.6%.
Vion, the second-largest meat processor in the country, slaughter 7.6 million pigs, increasing its market share from 13.8% to 14.3%. The Westfleisch company came to occupy the third position in the ranking in 2020, with 7.47 million slaughtered animals (-3%), maintaining, however, its market share of 14%. Danish Crown, meanwhile, had to face a 6.6% decrease in slaughter, bringing the total number to 3.1 million units and reducing its market share from 6% to 5.8%. In fact, it was the only one in the Top-10 that did not strengthen its position in the market.
The Müller-Group managed to maintain the level of the number of slaughters of 2019 (2.1 million head). The slaughter carried out by Bösler Goldschmaus amounted to 1.85 million pigs (+ 4.5%). The Tummel company slaughtered 1.55 million pigs (+ 0.6%). The biggest advance was made by the Steinmann Holding Ltda slaughterhouse, which appears for the first time in the Top-10 ranking, with an increase of 10.7% and a total of 1.35 million slaughtered pigs. The main reason, but not the only one, was that last year it acquired the abattoirs owned by EGO. The Williams-Group slaughtered 1.34 million pigs (+ 2.3%). The ranking is closed by Simon-Fleisch, with 1.11 million pigs.
Numbers analysed by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) show that 26.6 million lambs were slaugh...
Simplifying further the policies and increasing the uptake of innovation and digitalisation are p...
The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) warns that dead or sick birds should n...
