The holiday season is when folks in publishing run a lot of “trends for the year to come” pieces, for several reasons. For one, they’re interesting and, to the extent they are provocative or well-researched, useful. For another, they are a boon to editors who have far less material to work with when most businesses are taking it easy.

In fact, Meatingplace editors are working now on issues and podcasts that you will see in January, February, even March. Our heads have been in 2023 to one extent or another since July.

So, with an eye on the next 12 months, here are Meatingplace’s five trends to watch in 2023:

1. Mind the gap. That gap, that is, between the haves (lots of automation) and the have-nots (lots of automation). Persistent labor shortages are pushing those companies that can afford it to pull the trigger on major equipment purchases designed to permanently alleviate the need for scores of unskilled workers on the line. In the long run these investments will serve to lower the per-unit costs of high-volume manufacturers even further … leaving smaller, less-capitalized meat companies holding the bag.

2. It’s an art and a science. Smaller processors will answer by leaning into the artisanal. They will bank on the fact that human beings are still behind every product and differentiate the products through specialty cuts and unique preparations. They will market the hell out of that “personal touch” and command a higher price because of it.

3. It’s the community, stupid. Economically squeezed consumers will continue to tax local safety net services to the max. Meat processors will step up to feed those communities with record-setting donations of food and funds in 2023. The smart ones will do more for their employee community, as well, with greater investments in health care, education, safe and welcoming work environments — and better, more transparent, internal communications aimed at fostering teamwork.

4. The financial wasteland. Producers’ input costs are going up (think: feed, drought) at the same time that consumers’ food choices are moving downscale to mitigate price hikes. Who’s in the cross-hairs? Processors. Profit margins in all the major species will be narrower in ’23, even on prepared foods, as processors won’t be able to increase their prices as fast as their costs go up. The meat industry is cyclical, and it’s the processors’ turn.

5. Here comes the judge. The meat industry’s legal woes are far from over. While it’s hard to think of any party that hasn’t already filed a price-fixing or wage-fixing, wrongful death or discrimination lawsuit against one or more processors, new plaintiffs are always in the wings. And the existing cases, some dating back to 2016, will continue to wend their slow way through the judicial system all year long.

Deep dive: For more on the history of the meme, “Here comes the judge,” first coined by Pigmeat Markham and later used on Laugh-In, click here.)

What are your trend predictions for 2023?

Five trends for processors to watch in 2023

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