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India consumes close to $30 billion worth of meat annually, while a research shows that there will be around 80% growth in meat demand by 2022. Unfortunately, 90% of this demand is being handled by the unorganized market. Since the source of meat is unknown, consumers remain unaware of the environment in which the meat or the bird was raised. Germs from poultry can cause a variety of illnesses in people, ranging from minor skin infections to serious illnesses that can cause death. Blame it all on the lack of quality checks of the meat during the time of farming and the ignorance by multiple stakeholders in terms of taking responsibility towards solving the problems of Farm-to-Fork consumption models.
To resolve such issues, online fresh meat brands like Zappfresh are taking up the responsibility of organizing farms, creating infrastructure and bringing safe and fresh meat to the consumer’s doorstep. By ensuring stringent quality checks at every stage from procuring till delivery, meat delivery tech start-ups are striving towards organizing this industry and meeting up to 95% or more of the safety specifications.
Such new-age meat delivery platforms are also trying to prevent uncertainties in terms of safety and quality by working closely with the poultry and meat farmers to make sure that the meat is raised right, prevented from diseases and regularly monitored by veterinary doctors. Once the meat reaches the processing unit, it is segregated in different sections to ensure product hygiene followed by a double-layered packaging for safe supply to the consumers.
Technology, on the other hand, is greatly aiding in scaling the meat procurement and delivery process by making sure that most part of the process is automated and manual error-free. A good algorithm, when properly tested, can not only reduce the chances of error to a rare minimum, it can also help the process attain almost any scale. Combine that with algorithms from AI, and there is a well-oiled machinery that is not only capable of massive scaling but can also study the user-buying patterns for giving them a highly customized experience.
Yet another challenge that meat and poultry businesses are facing relates to delivering the produce through the crowded city streets of India in a timely fashion. Technology is facilitating a combination of speed and efficiency that can enable a meat delivery start-up to manage an army of delivery boys along with better navigation tools for the field staff to deliver best quality meat produce in the quickest possible time. Meanwhile, consumers are also enabled to track their orders in real time. Such a strategic digital system is significantly assisting the standardization of meat processing.
The online meat delivery segment might be offering ample opportunities but is also riddled by a considerable share of risks and challenges. It is the most difficult category to deal with keeping in mind that the unorganized market has been dominating the scenario for a long time in India and there is little to no intervention from the government in standardizing the space, which can really hamper the functioning of online meat delivery start-ups.
However, considering the convenience and transparency, consumers in India will slowly but surely make a move towards online meat procurement brands that will guarantee them a high-quality meat buying experience without making any compromises with their health and well-being.
Deepanshu Manchanda, CEO & Co-founder, Zappfresh