Estonia has welcomed a new broiler meat brand. Image created with the help of AI (Reve)After several difficult years, the Estonian poultry market has welcomed a new broiler meat brand designed to reduce price volatility and help prevent a further decline in self-sufficiency.
The Estonian poultry market is going through a rough time, Delfi, a local news outlet, reported, citing market players. According to official data from the Estonian Statistical Department, the country’s self-sufficiency in poultry meat fell to around 50% last year, down from roughly 60%. At the same time, consumers have seen significant price inflation, with poultry prices rising by nearly a quarter.
‘Captain Grant’
Against this backdrop, seafood distributor Kapten Grant has entered the poultry segment with a new broiler meat brand aimed at strengthening supply and easing price pressures, Delfi said. Launched by a local seafood distributor, Kapten Grant, the brand is positioning itself as “a response to structural gaps in the local meat supply chain”.
According to Martin Puusepp, CEO of Kapten Grant, the Estonian poultry market is in dire need of renewal and new competition: “We are seeing a situation where Estonian poultry prices have increased by 15-25%, while in neighboring countries, prices are falling or remaining lower.”
Amid an unstable supply of poultry meat, some Estonian meat-processing plants have already ceased operations in recent years. Additional competition on the market should help both consumers and retailers, Puusepp said.
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A rise in poultry consumption
Estonia is a relatively small poultry producer in EU terms, with annual production in recent years ranging from 19,000 to 22,000 tonnes.
Estonia saw a drop in poultry self-sufficiency, primarily due to increased consumption. According to Puusepp, it is increasing because beef is expensive, while pork production is associated with certain challenges, likely referring to the recent outbreaks of African swine fever that severely hurt the pig industry in the Baltic region in recent months.
Balancing the market
According to Delfi, local retailers welcomed the emergence of a new player on the poultry market.
Kaimo Niitaru, director of product range and purchasing at supermarket chain Prisma, said: “Increased competition in the poultry segment is a positive development, especially given the pressure on prices in recent years.”
Niitaru added: “The addition of new suppliers helps create the conditions for price stabilisation and supports our goal of consistently offering competitive prices to our customers. A wider range of suppliers gives us greater ability to deliver on our promises, even in challenging market conditions.”
