Brexit Britain is “perfectly poised” to carve out a large section of the Gulf’s ever-growing meat market, a leading butcher has claimed.
The superior quality, freshness and high welfare standards of the UK’s meat put it “streets ahead” of its main international competitors, Tariq Sheikh said.
Mr Sheikh – who employs hundreds of people across his 28 Tariq Halal Meat stores – exported 10 tonnes of products including lamb, beef and chicken last year and expects this to grow substantially over the coming years.
The Wembley-based butcher – who has worked in the industry for more than 30 years – said the main selling point was its “freshness” because it can be on a shelf ready to sell within 72 hours of transportation ensuring its “nutrition and other aspects remain intact”.
This differs significantly from meat – much of which is frozen – which is sent from New Zealand and Australia.
While many believe this affects the flavour, “chilled British meat is renowned across the world for its quality, high processing standards and superior taste due to the natural grazing and welfare of the animals”, he said.
“Australia and New Zealand have for many years dominated this market but people want choice and they like to eat well.
“British halal meat has its routes traced back to the farm and green pastures which is a big selling point for people wanting flavour.
“Frozen meat that has spent weeks or even months moving across continents can’t offer that which is why so many people prefer the UK products.”
And while India and Pakistan supply fresher products, laxer rules on animal welfare mean that it doesn’t taste as good, he claimed.
“The UK has the privilege of high-end meat locally sourced and many halal options,” he explained.
“London especially is a booming market. We have restrictions where we cannot bring meat products from the rest of the world such as Pakistan and India.
“In Dubai, they have access to the rest of the world and import lamb from Pakistan and India.
“They have a vast choice but with this choice, quality can also be a factor.
“Freshness is our USP and that’s where the UK differs. People in Dubai know this which is why British meat is so popular.”
Mr Sheikh admits that leaving the EU did cause issues after some European operators left the UK. But he believes that Brexit “opened people’s eyes” to opportunities across the rest of the world, including the growth in demand in the Gulf.
“It (leaving the EU) added complications but I believe it may open doors to the rest of the world which were the initial conceptions of Brexit,” he added.
