Dear readers,
Lets start with some good news from our industry:
- Scientists from the Chinese Shanxi Agricultural University and Capital Medical University have developed an innovative CRISPR-based diagnostic platform that can detect the African swine fever virus (ASFV) in just 20 minutes. According to their statement, the simplicity and high accuracy of the method make it a powerful tool for early detection and rapid response to outbreaks, potentially helping to prevent virus spread and protect the swine industry.
- Darden Hams, Virginia, U.S. announces a $1.2 million investment to build a new 670 m² production facility on Isle of Wight County. The project is expected to increase Darden’s output more than five-fold, opening doors to new markets and greater efficiency across the pork supply chain.
- Harrisonville, Missouri, U.S., officials have approved a plan for JBQ Meats to convert the city’s long-vacant Walmart building into a USDA-certified meat processing and packaging facility. The $18 million project is expected to create about 70 jobs and revitalize a property that has sat largely unused for more than a decade.
- The Bell Food Group is acquiring the Hermann Wein raw ham processing plant in Freudenstadt. Consolidation of the meat industry is unstoppable in Germany.
- CPF Food and Beverage, a subsidiary of Thailand’s CP Foods, and Japan’s NH Foods have formed a new joint venture, CPF NH Foods in Thailand.The new venture will focus on developing, producing, and marketing processed pork products for consumers in Thailand and key export markets.
- The new Castile and León Extensive Livestock Farming Promotion Plan has a budget of 10 million euros in the Community’s 2026 draft budget. The plan aims to strengthen extensive livestock farming as a production model that helps retain rural populations, improve farm profitability, and recognize its contribution to preventing forest fires.
- Shares of Beyond Meat fell after the company delayed its third-quarter financial results. The shares fell 16% to $1.39, below its $1.89 close to end September. It looks like fake meat is not any more a hype.
Events calendar:
- The FoodExpo Kazakhstan is a prominent trade fair in the Asian region, contributing to the presentation of trends, products, and technologies in food production and marketing on an international platform. The fair will take place at the Atakent International Exhibition Centre in Almaty on 3 days from Wednesday, 12. November to Friday, 14. November 2025.
- The INTERFOOD & DRINK is an annual trade fair held in Sofia, Bulgaria, focusing on the food and beverage industry. The exhibition takes place on 4 days from Wednesday, 12.11.2025 to Saturday, 15.11.2025.
- The SIAL InterFOOD is a leading international trade fair for the food and beverage industry, held annually at the JIExpo Jakarta International Expo in Indonesia. The fair will take place on 4 days from Wednesday, 12. November to Saturday, 15. November 2025.
- The FHC (China – Food & Hospitality China) is an international trade fair for food and beverages, held annually in Shanghai, one of the world’s most dynamic culinary capitals. The FHC will take place on 3 days from Wednesday, 12.11.2025 to Friday, 14.11.2025.
Land of Confusion
In the east of Europe we still follow the trend of the German pig industry, but is it still relevant?
The green light from the former “streetlight” German government caused many disturbances and the new government is only partially correcting them. Now farmers are being given more time to submit their applications for investment subsidies under the Federal Program for the Promotion of Animal Husbandry Conversion (BUT). These can now be submitted to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) until August 31, 2026. The investment subsidy will expire in 2028. Is this enough to maintain the actual number of pigs?
The slaughterhouse in Perleberg, Brandenburg , will close. This means the disappearance of one of the last large pig slaughterhouses in eastern Germany with a capacity of around 20,000 animals per week. Difficulties started years ago, and the option to transform the plant to one supplying carcasses to the market didn’t work economically. In my experience, this is always the most unprofitable segment of the pig industry.
East of Germany will remain in the hands of Tönnies, in terms of pig slaughtering.
The last national competitor, Westfleisch is planning a major expansion of its Coesfeld site. The plan, initially developed in 2022, will increase the slaughtering capacity to 70.000/week.
But where are the pigs? Germany has significantly reduced its pig imports this year. From January to September 2025, just under 8 million pigs and piglets were imported, 10% fewer than in the previous year.
The German pig industry is living in the land of confusion.
