June update: GP-1 update, events calendar - WMC, COP30 Momentum, AI discovery & campaign spotlight

This Month’s Actionable Takeaways: What Industry Needs to Know Now

From shifts in consumer behaviour driven by weight-loss medications to global climate policy momentum and award-winning marketing campaigns, here’s what’s moving in the meat industry this month.

1. GLP‑1 Weight‑Loss Medications: New Considerations for Meat and Nutrition

A recent analysis by IFF is shedding light on how GLP‑1 drugs (like Ozempic and Wegovy) are changing more than just appetites. Up to 85% of users report notable shifts in how they experience food, including reduced appeal for sweetness, fat, and dense textures. Notably, this impacts fatty or protein-heavy foods like deli meats and traditional meat snacks.

Many users now describe greasy or heavy textures as off-putting, prompting a serious rethink for the meat snacks category. Formulators and marketers will need to innovate with lighter textures, functional benefits, or portion-conscious formats that align with the evolving sensory profiles and health-driven priorities of this growing consumer base.

2. Campaign Spotlight: Meat Messaging That’s Hitting the Mark

This month we’re recognizing three standout campaigns that are reshaping the public narrative around meat:

  • Australia’s AMPC “More to Meat” campaign continues to lift public awareness and support for the processing sector, putting a human face to the industry.

  • MLA’s iconic Summer Lamb ad scored big on the global stage, bringing home Australia’s first Cannes Silver Lion for the campaign - a creative win that reflects well on red meat marketing.

  • New Zealand’s Luka Young, 2024 World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) winner, turned his championship cutlet into a retail phenomenon. His journey is inspiring global attention and underscoring the power of storytelling and craftsmanship in meat retail.

Takeaway: The global appetite for authentic, creative meat marketing is strong, and these campaigns show how it’s done well.

3. Looking Ahead to COP30: Farmers at the Climate Table

With COP30 fast approaching in Brazil this November, the meat sector’s climate voice is growing sharper and stronger. Macaulay Jones from the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) highlighted how June’s WFO General Assembly (5–6 June 2025) solidified a unified, farmer-led strategy for the global climate stage.

Key priorities heading into COP30:

  • Sustainable adaptation

  • Equity in climate finance

  • Integration into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

  • Recognition of farmers as frontline climate actors

Their recent presence at the Petersburg Climate Dialogue in Berlin reinforced these messages, with agriculture and meat producers poised to advocate for fair, inclusive solutions.

4. Events Not to Miss

The global meat calendar is packed - here are some key moments to watch:

  • Reciprocal Meat Conference (June 22–25) – Sessions this year emphasised nutrition, innovation, and public trust in meat science.

  • World Meat Congress (October 27–30) – The industry's flagship global gathering is just around the corner. (Full details on page 5)

  • World Iron Awareness Week (August) – In collaboration with Beef + Lamb New Zealand, we’re calling on partners to help shine a light on iron deficiency and red meat’s nutritional role.

Takeaway: These events are shaping consumer education and industry priorities - plan your engagement now.

Want More?
Explore the full stories and deeper dives on each topic in our latest report - sign up to receive it via the homepage

Next
Next

May update: GLP-1 Drugs, Role of meat report, COP30 & Meat Business Women