The UK’s meat, dairy and seafood sectors continue to show strong international performance — with clear geographic patterns driving growth. Recent data (2024–2025) reveals a blend of EU strength, Asian demand, and North American expansion.

Here’s what the export landscape looks like for UK products of animal origin:

Seafood: France Leads, U.S. and China Surge
2024 was a record year for UK seafood exports, rising +13% in value.

Top destinations:
– France — the UK’s largest seafood market (nearly half of export value).
– USA — high demand for premium species; +34% value growth in 2024.
– China — fast-rising market, especially for high-value and frozen categories.
– Netherlands & Spain — major EU throughput and consumption markets.
*2025 trend: Export momentum continues, with France, Netherlands and the U.S. remaining strong by both volume and value.

Red Meat: EU Dominance, China Critical for Offal
UK red-meat exports hit a record £1.77bn in 2024.

Key markets:
– France & Netherlands — leading buyers of UK beef and lamb.
– EU as a whole — the majority of UK red-meat exports (often 85–95% depending on category).
– China — crucial for pig offal; in 2025 H1, China accounted for ~62% of UK offal exports.
– Ghana & South Africa — growing non-EU beef destinations.
*2025 trend: Beef shipments to EU markets remain the backbone of UK exports; China continues driving offal growth.

Dairy: EU at the Core, U.S. & Middle East Expanding
UK dairy exports reached £1.8bn in 2024, with demand for cheese, powders and processed dairy.

Top markets:
– European Union (~76% of export value) — especially the Netherlands, France, Germany and Spain.
– United States — the largest non-EU buyer; UK cheese exports to the U.S. continue to grow.
– UAE & Qatar — rising demand for UK dairy in 2024–2025.
*2025 trend: Strong start to the year with over £1.1bn in H1 dairy exports.

What This Means for UK Exporters
– The EU remains the backbone for meat and dairy — proximity, logistics and alignment keep volumes high.
– China is strategically vital for pig-meat offal and certain seafood categories.
– The U.S. is a high-value growth market, particularly for cheese and premium seafood.
– Middle Eastern markets are emerging as reliable buyers of processed dairy.

If you’re looking to expand into any of these markets, Amivet Exports can help with:

✔ SPS & veterinary certification
✔ Market-specific compliance and documentation
✔ Cold-chain optimisation
✔ Export-readiness assessments
✔ Route-to-market strategy

Would like to know more?

Get in touch to discuss further. Click the contact page above or call us on 01606 278707.

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Written by Chris Eglington on