Innovation in an expanding market: Australian pork is not a commodity

Abstract

The growing Asian middle class, the proliferation of export markets and a more discerning domestic consumer base are creating new opportunities and challenges for the Australian pork industry. To fully capitalise on these opportunities and face these new challenges, the right questions need to be asked by the Australian pork industry. We need to know not only what our consumers want, but who our consumers are. The present paper aims to demonstrate that novel approaches to investigate consumer attitudes will be required, and it cannot be assumed that current productions systems, products and marketing strategies are optimal for the changing environment and the creation of new premium market opportunities. With new markets and new products come new consumers; identifying who those consumers are, the networks they operate within as food consumers, and what influences their purchasing decisions are the key to their adopting Australian pork as premium produce in a new global market.