当一个素来以鸡肉、猪肉和海产品著称的市场，开始接纳高端牛肉部位、全球饮食潮流以及新式用餐体验，将会发生什么？

泰国正大食品澳洲分部的萨姆·吉尔认为，泰国正迅速成为澳大利亚红肉出口最具潜力的增长市场之一。

对许多澳大利亚人而言，泰国代表着度假、海滩与街头美食。

但在知名旅游业背后，泰国拥有成熟且日趋多元的经济体，为澳州牛肉与羊肉带来全新机遇。

萨姆在澳大利亚肉类及畜牧业协会（MLA）的《实地调研》播客节目中谈到，泰国红肉消费市场近年增长提速，得益于经济发展、消费偏好转变，以及泰澳自贸协定带来的长期红利。

“冷冻肉市场已经实现增长，并且仍在持续扩张，”萨姆说。

“过去两年，市场规模翻了一倍。”

冷鲜牛肉市场同样增长显著，泰国现已成为东南亚最重要的冷鲜牛肉市场之一。

萨姆任职于泰国正大集团全球农食板块。

正大集团业务覆盖食品生产、零售、电信、金融与基建，在20多个国家开展经营。

他主要负责将澳大利亚产品出口至泰国，能够直观观察当地消费需求的变化趋势。

传统上，牛肉在泰国蛋白质消费中的占比较低，消费量不及禽肉、猪肉和海产品。但这一格局正在发生转变。

受全球饮食文化影响日益加深的年轻消费群体，带动大众对牛肉类餐饮体验的需求持续上升。

“人们正在接纳各类全球饮食潮流，”萨姆说。

“韩流音乐、韩剧、日本饮食文化、中国火锅。各式各样的餐饮形式开始融入泰国。”

随着国际料理愈发普及，适配这类餐饮的食材需求也随之增长，澳大利亚牛肉便是其中之一。

澳大利亚的品牌口碑持续带来竞争优势。

对于泰国采购商与消费者而言，品质稳定、食品安全以及供应可靠，仍是澳产产品最突出的卖点。

自贸协定也带来结构性优势，助力澳大利亚出口商高效参与市场竞争，并推动市场长期发展。

出口商不再局限于机会性冷冻肉销售，如今可在冷鲜与冷冻品类建立合作关系，打造更为成熟、抗风险能力更强的贸易环境。

“这一协定催生了此前并不存在的冷鲜牛肉市场，”萨姆表示。

泰国牛肉市场日趋成熟最直观的标志，就是市场开始接受曾经受众有限的牛肉部位。

臀盖肉就是典型代表。

“泰国目前是全球澳大利亚臀盖肉最大进口国，”萨姆说道。

该市场已经超越美国、中国等传统采购地区，截至2026年6月，今年迄今进口量约为巴西的两倍。

这一变化凸显重要趋势：泰国消费者正在发掘并青睐更多种类的牛肉部位。

“这就是市场发掘新部位、接纳它、使用它并不断扩大需求的实例，”萨姆说。

火锅与寿喜烧类餐饮也成为拉动需求的主要动力。

澳大利亚出口至泰国的牛肉中，约三成为冷冻牛胸肉，反映出餐饮企业与消费者对这款性价比高、风味浓郁、适合多人聚餐的牛肉部位的旺盛需求。

虽然羊肉品类目前体量仍相对较小，但萨姆看到了利好的增长信号。

旅游业带来一定助力，来自印度与中东的游客带动了羊肉菜品需求。泰国年轻消费者也更愿意尝试以往不常食用的肉类。

为提升羊肉接受度，行业合作方重点开展试吃推广与消费科普工作。

“我们举办活动时，总会准备一到两道羊肉菜品，供大家品尝体验，”萨姆说。

将羊肉融入大众熟悉的菜品供消费者试吃，消除固有偏见，有助于改变大众认知，向从未考虑食用羊肉的消费者推广羊肉产品。

萨姆认为，澳大利亚肉类及畜牧业协会（MLA）在泰国开展工作最重要的一环，就是助力当地牛肉行业的整体发展。

通过澳洲肉类学院等项目，行业培训不只是推广澳大利亚肉类产品，还帮助泰国全行业提升加工、屠宰分割、食品安全以及牛肉部位利用相关技术能力。

由于牛肉整体品类体量尚小，消费需求的任何增长，都会同时惠及本土生产商与出口商。

“牛肉市场的增长既能造福泰国，也有利于澳大利亚，”萨姆表示。

除技术能力建设之外，明星厨师合作、餐厅联动项目，以及MLA的羊肉推广大使、澳洲牛肉伙伴项目，持续向消费者讲述澳大利亚肉类的产地故事。

泰国亚洲国际食品博览会（THAIFEX）最能体现泰国市场日益提升的重要地位。

这场展会曾经基本面向国内贸易，如今已发展为大型国际食品展，吸引数十万参观者，全球参展商数量持续增加。

在萨姆看来，这反映出泰国在区域及全球食品市场中的角色正在快速拓展。

尽管曼谷仍是进口牛羊肉的核心集散地，但普吉、甲米、芭堤雅、华欣、清迈、乌隆他尼等地区中心的市场增长势头愈发明显。

“曼谷固然十分重要，”萨姆说。

“但广大区域市场也聚集着大量消费人群。”

随着泰国经济多元化、中产群体壮大，消费者持续探索各类新式料理，澳大利亚出口商有机会进一步巩固市场地位。

泰国曾经只是澳大利亚红肉的小众出口目的地，如今意义已截然不同——这是一个充满活力的市场，需求不断上涨、销售渠道持续拓宽，消费者乐于发掘更多新品。

消息来源：MLA

What happens when a market better known for chicken, pork and seafood begins embracing premium beef cuts, global food trends and new dining experiences?

According to CPF Australia’s Sam Gill, Thailand is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting growth stories for Australian red meat exports.

For many Australians, Thailand is synonymous with holidays, beaches and street food.

However, beneath the well-known tourism industry lies a sophisticated and increasingly diversified economy, and one that is creating new opportunities for Australian beef and lamb.

Speaking on MLA's On the Ground podcast, Sam said Thailand's rise as a red meat destination had accelerated in recent years, and was supported by economic growth, changing consumer tastes and the long-term benefits of the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

"The frozen market has grown and continues to grow," Sam said.

"In the last two years, it doubled in size."

Growth was also evident in chilled beef with Thailand now one of South-East Asia's most significant chilled beef markets.

A market coming of age

Sam works within the global agrifood arm of Thailand-based conglomerate CP Group.

A business spanning food production, retail, telecommunications, finance and infrastructure across more than 20 countries.

His role focuses on exporting Australian products into Thailand, which gives him a front-row view of how consumer demand is evolving.

Traditionally, beef has occupied only a small share of Thailand's protein consumption, overshadowed by poultry, pork and seafood. That trend is beginning to shift.

A younger generation of consumers, increasingly influenced by global food culture, is driving greater interest in beef-based dining experiences.

"People are embracing global trends," Sam said.

"K-pop, K-drama, Japanese food culture, China's hot pot. All of these different meal types are starting to blend into Thailand."

As international cuisines become more commonplace, so too does demand for ingredients that support them, including Australian beef.

The value of consistency

Australia's reputation continues to provide a competitive advantage.

For Thai buyers and consumers alike, consistency, food safety and reliable supply remain some of the strongest selling points for Australian product.

The free trade agreement also delivered a structural advantage to help Australian exporters compete effectively and encouraged long-term market development.

Rather than being limited to opportunistic frozen sales, exporters can now build relationships across both chilled and frozen categories and create a more mature and resilient trading environment.

"It's been able to develop a chilled beef market which wasn't there before," Sam said.

New cuts, new opportunities

The clearest sign of Thailand's growing sophistication as a beef market is its willingness to embrace cuts that once had limited appeal.

One standout example is the rump cap.

"Thailand is now the largest importer of Australian rump caps in the world," Sam said.

The market has overtaken traditional buyers including the United States and China, and now imports roughly double the volume purchased by Brazil year to date in June 2026.

The shift highlighted an important trend that Thai customers are increasingly discovering and valuing a wider range of beef cuts.

"It's an example of the market discovering a new cut, embracing it, utilising it and growing it," Sam said.

Hot pot and sukiyaki-style dining had also become major demand drivers.

Around one-third of Australia's beef exports into Thailand consist of frozen brisket. Reflecting strong demand from foodservice operators and consumers seeking affordable, flavourful cuts suited to shared dining experiences.

Lamb carving out a niche

While lamb remains a relatively small category, Sam saw encouraging signs for future growth.

Tourism plays a role with visitors from India and the Middle East helping create demand for lamb-based dishes. Younger Thai consumers are also becoming more open to trying unfamiliar proteins.

To support greater acceptance, industry partners had focused heavily on sampling and education.

"When we run our own events, we will always have one or two lamb dishes in there to just get people to test and try," Sam said.

Presenting lamb in familiar dishes that customers can sample without preconceived notions helps to challenge perceptions and introduce lamb to consumers who may never have previously considered it.

Building capability across the industry

Sam believed one of the most important elements of MLA's work in Thailand had been supporting the broader development of the local beef sector.

Through initiatives such as the Aussie Meat Academy, industry training had extended beyond promoting Australian product to helping strengthen processing, butchery, food safety and cut utilisation skills throughout the Thai industry.

As beef remained a small category overall, any growth in consumer demand benefited both local producers and exporters.

"Any growth in beef helps Thailand, but it also helps Australia," Sam said.

Alongside technical capability building, celebrity chefs, restaurant partnerships and MLA's Lambassadors and Aussie Beef Mates programs continue helping tell the Australian provenance story to consumers.

A market worth watching

Few events illustrate Thailand's growing importance better than THAIFEX.

What was once considered a largely domestic trade show has evolved into a major international food exhibition, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and increasing numbers of global exhibitors.

For Sam, it reflects a country that is rapidly expanding its role within regional and global food markets.

And while Bangkok remains the primary hub for imported beef and lamb, growth is increasingly being seen across regional centres including Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai and Udon Thani.

"Bangkok's definitely important," Sam said.

"But that wider spread is also where a lot of the population are."

As Thailand's economy diversifies, its middle class expands and consumers continue exploring new cuisines, Australian exporters have an opportunity to establish an even stronger presence.

What was once a niche destination for Australian red meat is becoming something much more significant – a dynamic market with growing demand, expanding channels and an appetite for discovering what's next.

Source：MLA