Goat Is the New Beef

Walk into a grocery store or local butcher in cities like Calgary, Birmingham, or Berlin, and you’ll notice a quiet revolution happening behind the counter. Goat, chorizo, offal, and other meats once considered niche in the West are now inching into the mainstream. Why? Because immigration is reshaping not just labor markets and cities—but also our menus.

Across Canada, the U.S., and Europe, shifting demographics are driving a surge in demand for meats traditionally consumed in Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. And as new communities plant roots, they’re bringing not only skills and labor—but tastes and traditions.

Goat on the Rise: A Canadian Case Study

Goat is the most consumed red meat globally, making up 60% of global red meat consumption, according to the Alberta Goat Association. Yet in Canada, it’s long been hard to find. That’s changing fast.

With the influx of newcomers from countries where goat is a staple, demand has skyrocketed. In 2024 alone, nearly 100,000 goats were slaughtered in Canada, up from about 86,600 in 2016. But even that’s not enough.

Restaurants like Ahinke Kitchen, which serves Nigerian cuisine, can’t always meet customer demand. “Many ask to try the meat, but we don’t always have it,” co-owner Kunbi Olalere said. Over the years, her supply costs have jumped by more than 30%, making goat both hard to get and expensive to serve.

At the farm level, local producers are doing their best to scale. But as Alberta Goat Association president Mallory Kaiser notes, producers face challenges not just in volume, but in meeting culturally specific expectations—everything from age and sex of the animal to slaughter methods. Meanwhile, imports from Australia and New Zealand undercut local prices, but often don’t meet the taste or texture preferences of buyers.

UK Beef: A Mirror of Immigration-Driven Demand

Canada isn’t alone in this shift. In the UK, domestic beef consumption rose by 1% in 2025—while production fell by 5%. That gap has forced the UK to boost imports by 12%, with most of it coming from Ireland.

This is more than just economics. Analysts suggest that changing demographics, particularly immigration, are influencing consumer habits. New communities are choosing fresh, primary cuts of beef over ultra-processed options, reflecting culinary traditions where meat preparation remains central to culture and family life.

Europe’s Ethnic Meat Boom

Europe has experienced a similar trend: immigration has altered the continent’s consumer markets in more ways than one. Supermarkets across major cities now carry a broader selection of meats and ethnic specialties, not just because of adventurous native consumers, but because immigrant communities are driving demand.

And it’s not only about goat or beef—ethnic meats like chorizo are up 3.9% year-over-year. Retailers and brands are adjusting quickly, realizing that ignoring cultural food preferences is a missed opportunity in a diversifying marketplace.

U.S. Meat Industry: Fed by Immigrants, Vulnerable to Policy

Meanwhile, the U.S. meat industry faces a different but equally important immigration story—on the production side.

Roughly 42% of U.S. meatpacking workers are foreign-born, and nearly a quarter are undocumented. The looming threat of mass deportations, could destabilize the entire supply chain.

A 2025 report from the American Immigration Council and Wired warns that such deportations could cause sharp spikes in meat and dairy prices, as labor shortages would hit an already stretched industry. While beef and poultry are affordable in part due to low labor costs, the human cost has been high—especially in terms of worker safety and stability.

Without immigrant labor, entire segments of the U.S. meat system would likely seize up, leading to price hikes, supply shortages, and slower processing.

A New Consumer Landscape: Value, Culture, and Custom Cuts

All of this is happening amid broader changes in global meat trends. According to Insight Trends World, the meat department has pivoted in 2025 toward:

Cultural diversity: Meats like goat and chorizo are on the rise.
Value-driven shopping: Inflation has pushed consumers toward traditional, whole cuts and away from convenience products.
Decline of plant-based meats: Sales fell 2.3% year-over-year.
Personalized experiences: In-store butcher services and custom online orders are gaining traction.

In short, “tradition meets personalization” is the defining shift. New immigrants fuel demand for traditional meats. Tech-savvy shoppers expect customization. And economic pressures are pushing all consumers to reassess what value and quality really mean.

More Than Meat: What Immigration Means for the Future of Food

The impact of immigration goes far beyond what's on the plate. It affects who processes our meat, which meats are in demand, and how food systems adapt to demographic shifts. Countries like Canada and Germany are already rethinking how food and immigration policy intersect—from job training and farm labor to support for ethnic food businesses.

Meanwhile, brands that embrace these changes—offering value, personalization, and cultural authenticity—are poised to thrive. This isn’t just a passing trend. It’s a permanent reshaping of the global food economy, where immigrants aren't just participants but catalysts.

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