The wagyu beef market has seen considerable growth due to a variety of factors.
•The market size of wagyu beef has been on a robust upward trend in the past few years. The forecast indicates an escalation from $2.53 billion in 2024 to $2.72 billion in 2025, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.4%.
Factors like cross-cultural culinary fusion, an increase in culinary knowledge and consciousness, the emergence of premium retail, the international exposure of food trends, media, and culinary influencers have contributed to the growth in this historical period.
The wagyu beef market is expected to maintain its strong growth trajectory in upcoming years.
• The market size of wagyu beef is anticipated to experience robust growth in the forthcoming years, escalating to $3.53 billion in 2029 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%.
Regulatory and quality standards, educational initiatives, e-commerce development, growing demand in the foodservice industry, and diversification into new markets are factors contributing to this growth predicted during the forecast period. The key trends projected to shape this sector are educational and experiential marketing, an increased focus on ethically sound and sustainable practices, traceability and transparency, health and nutritional consciousness, premiumization, and the broadening of the luxury market.
The escalating development of the food and beverage sectors is anticipated to boost the expansion of the Wagyu beef market. The term 'food and beverage industry' denotes businesses that convert raw agricultural commodities into consumer food items, provide food transport services, run catering operations, and more. Wagyu beef, featuring significant fat marbling and delivering a rich taste best savored in small amounts, is predominantly consumed in the food sector. For instance, data provided by the Common Thread Collective, a US e-commerce growth firm, in April 2022 indicated that global food and beverage sales in 2022 amounted to $506 billion and are predicted to surge to $857 billion by 2025. Consequently, the swift advancement of the food and beverage sectors is stimulating the Wagyu beef market's growth.
The wagyu beef market covered in this report is segmented –
1) By Type: Wagyu And Kobe, Crossbreeding, 100% Fullblood Wagyu
2) By Distribution Channel: Online Stores, Retail Stores
3) By Application: Direct To Human Consume, Industrial Use
Subsegments:
1) By Wagyu And Kobe: Kobe Beef, Matsusaka Beef, Ohmi Beef, Other Regional Wagyu Varieties
2) By Crossbreeding: Wagyu-Angus Cross, Wagyu-Holstein Cross, Wagyu-Hereford Cross
3) By 100% Fullblood Wagyu: Japanese Black (Kuroge Washu), Japanese Brown (Akage Washu), Japanese Polled (Mukaku Washu), Japanese Shorthorn (Nihon Tankaku Washu)
A significant trend in the Wagyu beef market is the emphasis on product innovations. Major players in this field are creating new products and solutions to maintain their market position. For instance, Hall Farmstead, a producer of Wagyu beef based in the U.S., introduced purebred artisan Wagyu beef in February 2023. This will result in a boost of sustainably and ethically sourced products in the market. The farmstead's purebred artisan Wagyu is defined by an abundant marbling which provides a unique, butter-like flavor, distinguishing it from crossbred Wagyu types.
Major companies operating in the wagyu beef market include:
• Starzen Company Ltd.
• Itoham Foods Inc.
• Stanbroke
• Australian Agricultural Company
• West Coast Prime Meats
• Masami Foods
• Broadleaf
• DeBragga & Spitler Inc.
• Middle East Fuji L.L.C.
• Westholme
• Mishima Reserve
• The Dorset Meat Company
• Jack's Creek
• Black Hawk Farms
• Chicago Steak Company
• Holy Grail Steak Co.
• KC Cattle Company
• Lone Mountain Cattle Company
• Nebraska Star Beef
• Rangers Valley
• Sher Wagyu
• Snake River Farms
• Tajimaya UK ltd.
• Morgan Ranch LLC
• DrybagSteak LLC
• Blackmore Wagyu
• Darling Downs Wagyu
• Toriyama Umami Wagyu
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the wagyu beef market in 2024. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the wagyu beef market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa