W.IPG.2202 - Fresh Beef Consumers Awareness Project

Summary

Since the introduction of Indian Buffalo Meat (IBM) in 2016, the demand for locally processed Australian fresh beef in the wet market has decreased significantly. The Livestock Export Program (LEP) created a program to educate consumers about fresh beef and Indian Buffalo Meat (IBM) as well as product segmentation in an integrated supply chain for wet market meat kiosks. It aims to raise consumer awareness and defend locally processed Australian fresh beef's market share in the wet markets.

The program included both an online awareness campaign and on-site activities to enhance skills, knowledge, and promotion in traditional and contemporary markets. This program focuses on the West Java region because it is the largest centre of beef consumption (net consumer) in Indonesia and one of the locations for Australia's imported beef cattle feedlots.

This pilot project is anticipated to provide stakeholders with valuable insights, particularly regarding the marketing and promotion of fresh beef in the Indonesian market.

Objectives

The objectives of the program are:

• Conduct an education program for consumers to raise consumer awareness of the quality and benefits of locally processed Australian fresh beef. This program may raise consumer knowledge and attitudes, but it has not been able to alter their behaviour due to its very short duration.
• To provide program partners with the information, skills, and tools necessary to promote fresh beef in wet market environment. Unfortunately, this program was held in an unsuitable season, which is the issues of FMD and feast day related to culture and tradition, and so this program was less than optimal.
• To provide recommendations for future programs on “fresh beef”.

Key findings

All programs and activities carried out in this pilot project have had a positive impact and changed the knowledge and attitudes of the target audience regarding locally processed Australian fresh beef. However, because the intervention is new and the implementation time is relatively short (6 months), changes in the behaviour of the target audience have not been seen. Most of the activities and interventions carried out have not used approaches that are appropriate to field conditions and the needs of the target audience. For example, the conditions and needs of wet markets are different from the conditions and needs of modern markets, so different approaches and interventions are needed. The inaccurate timing of program implementation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the issue of Foot and Mouth Disease, as well as the timing during special periods where some people won't hold celebrations, has caused low beef consumption and made this program less than optimal.

Social media campaigns should be able to reach a wider audience, but they also need consistency and sustainability. In addition, there is a need for paid content strategies such as using influencers or KOL and optimizing paid advertisements to reach a wider audience.

Benefits to industry

This programme has demonstrated that beef management and processing have changed as a result of facilities inovation, infrastructure, and technologies. On a larger scale, these developments will have an effect on the demand (consumption pattern) for locally processed Australian fresh beef in Indonesia.

MLA action

Use the insights and knowledge from the research for future projects regarding fresh beef business development.

Future research

Based on the results of this project, further development and intervention with longer duration and continuous implementation are needed. In addition, approaching the strategy with local wisdom and according to the needs of each beneficiary becomes important. The recommendations for further research are as follows:

• Increase loyalty to fresh beef from locally processed Australian cattle in Indonesia by collaborating with the F&B industry as the main target in the wet market with a co-branding and co-marketing approach.
• Increase knowledge regarding the selection and use of beef by household consumers as the main target in the modern market with a local cuisine approach through sustainable cooking demonstration activities.
• Increase knowledge of Indonesian meat language and local meat-cutting approaches for sales optimisation.
• Continuing Product Segmentation program, Marketing, and Promotion of fresh beef with different approaches between wet markets and modern markets.
•  Increase engagement in digital media "Daging Sapi Kita" to reach a wider audience by collaborating with Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) and paid media.
• Clarifying the message of “Daging Sapi Kita” program by bringing Australia intensely.