Poultry Processing Equipment Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Poultry Processing Equipment Market is projected to expand from USD 4.71 Billion in 2025 to USD 6.76 Billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 6.21%. This sector comprises specialized machinery designed for the slaughtering, defeathering, evisceration, deboning, cutting, and packaging of poultry meat. The market's growth is primarily fueled by the rising global demand for affordable protein and processed foods, which compels manufacturers to boost production capacities. Furthermore, strict government regulations regarding hygiene and food safety are driving the adoption of automated systems to reduce human contact, while ongoing labor shortages in manufacturing reinforce the need for mechanized processing solutions to ensure efficiency.

According to data from the National Chicken Council, the United States broiler industry marketed roughly 47 billion pounds of ready-to-cook chicken in 2024, marking a 1.4 percent increase over the prior year. This significant volume underscores the essential need for durable, high-capacity machinery within the industry. However, the market encounters a substantial obstacle in the form of high initial capital costs for complex automated systems, which creates a barrier to entry for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to modernize their facilities.

Market Drivers

Rising global poultry consumption serves as the primary engine for the continuous procurement of high-throughput processing machinery. As populations grow and dietary habits in developing regions favor affordable lean proteins, processors are required to scale up their slaughtering and evisceration capabilities to satisfy these increased volumes. This demand necessitates the deployment of robust industrial lines capable of managing higher processing rates without sacrificing quality. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's April 2024 report forecasts global chicken meat production to hit a record 104.2 million tons in 2024, a volume that drives increased capital investment in processing systems to maintain uninterrupted supply chains.

Concurrently, the sector is being reshaped by the rapid adoption of robotics and automation, driven by persistent labor shortages and the need for consistent precision. Manufacturers are increasingly replacing manual labor with intelligent robotic systems to manage workforce instability and improve safety, generating significant revenue for equipment suppliers. For instance, JBT Corporation reported FoodTech revenue of USD 1.6 billion in their February 2024 earnings release, citing strong demand for automated solutions. Additionally, the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein noted in January 2024 that Brazil's chicken meat exports totaled 5.138 million tons in 2023, highlighting the vital role of processing infrastructure in supporting global trade.

Market Challenges

The substantial initial capital investment required for equipment acquisition stands as a major barrier to the expansion of the Global Poultry Processing Equipment Market. Integrating advanced automated systems for tasks such as slaughtering and evisceration entails significant financial costs, creating a serious constraint for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Unlike larger corporations, smaller processors often find it difficult to secure the funds needed to transition from manual operations to fully mechanized lines. This financial hurdle limits their adoption of modern technology, thereby restricting overall market growth and hampering operational efficiency improvements across the industry.

These financial limitations are reflected in recent market data. The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) projected in its November 2024 'State of the Industry' report that the growth rate of U.S. processing and packaging machinery shipments would decelerate to 2.5 percent in 2024, down from 5.8 percent the previous year. This slowdown indicates that high investment costs and economic caution are forcing manufacturers to delay necessary equipment upgrades. Consequently, the market sees reduced revenue momentum as processors postpone modernization efforts, effectively weakening the demand for new processing solutions.

Market Trends

The industry is witnessing a significant shift toward Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) technologies, replacing traditional electrical waterbath methods to enhance animal welfare and meat quality. CAS systems utilize gas-based induction to eliminate the stress of live shackling and reduce carcass defects like broken bones or hemorrhages. Processors are adopting these multi-stage systems to ensure irreversible stunning, improving product tenderness and consistency while meeting ethical standards. This trend was exemplified by Perdue Farms in July 2024, when the company announced the activation of its second CAS system at its South Carolina facility, signaling a broader industry commitment to high-welfare processing infrastructure.

Simultaneously, there is a growing emphasis on water-efficient and chemical-free sanitation solutions as manufacturers aim to lower utility costs and minimize environmental footprints. Equipment suppliers are developing closed-loop filtration units and advanced wastewater treatment systems that allow plants to reclaim and reuse water from evisceration and defeathering processes. This focus on resource conservation helps companies meet strict environmental regulations and sustainability goals without hindering production speeds. Highlighting this trend, Wayne-Sanderson Farms reported in September 2024 that it successfully diverted approximately 1.25 billion gallons of water back to groundwater sources in 2023 through new wastewater technologies.

Key Players Profiled in the Poultry Processing Equipment Market

• Marel HF
• Key Technology, Inc.
• John Bean Technologies Corporation
• CTB, Inc.
• Baader Food Processing Machinery, Inc.
• Brower Equipment
• Bayle S.A.
• Prime Equipment Group, Inc.
• CG Manufacturing and Distribution Limited
• Prime Equipment Group Inc.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Poultry Processing Equipment Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Poultry Processing Equipment Market, by Equipment Type:

• Killing & Defeathering
• Evisceration
• Cut Up
• Deboning & Skinning
• Marinating & Tumbling
• Others

Poultry Processing Equipment Market, by Poultry Type:

• Chicken Meat
• Turkey Meat
• Duck Meat
• Others

Poultry Processing Equipment Market, by Product Type:

• Fresh Processed
• Raw Cooked
• Pre-Cooked
• Raw Fermented Sausages
• Cured
• Dried
• Others

Poultry Processing Equipment Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Poultry Processing Equipment Market.

Available Customization

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