Meat businesses embrace online platforms as palliative to Coronavirus pandemic in UK

Source: Global Meat News

Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19 has become a critical factor affecting business globally.  A further zoom into the meat business in the UK revealed some changing dynamics. Meat business is further moving into direct retailing.  One major business currently adapting is Direct Meats – an Essex based supplier.

Initially, the Direct Meats were involved in traditionally ensuring the supplies of meat to high-end restaurants. However, with the emergence of COVID-19, the business has ensured the use of online services with the selection of a meat box and non-essential meat box.

Nicola Chandler, the director of sales of Direct Meats  further explained that the move was made necessary to help with social distancing. To ensure this, an online platform was developed to give shoppers options in part of the country until the situation plunges.

Another is Blake’s Meat, a catering and butchery business which revised their strategy of meeting the needs of their customer after its main avenue closed. This new service is the Brighton Meat Express- a direct to customer retail service.  

As stated by the business director, Greg Thatcher, the move was imperative as the business lost its customers overnight. She furthers that, business is equally leveraging on sharing flyers and utilising the social media for advertisements.

These are the changing phases in the meat business in the UK as the COVID-19 requires people to stay at home thereby leading to a rise in demand for retail products from supermarkets   and not all businesses have the capacity to adjust to this change in consumer’s behaviour.