Commercial Intimacy

Protein Anyone?

We became one of the richest countries in the world by twice cashing in on British protein booms. Affluent middle classes emerging from 19th century industrialisation and Second World War austerity were able to eat meat and dairy like never before – and they got it from us.

In huge developing economies, rising income levels are changing diets to protein again, and in vast numbers. Our meat, dairy and fish exporters need commercial intimacy to cash in on this boom.

We could treat all Britain as one niche and we had much stronger cultural, social, historical and language linkages there than anywhere else – and the trade was protected. Lacking those advantages, we must get close enough to Brahmins in Bangalore, samba dancers in Rio, apparatchiks in Guangdong and thousands of other groups, to develop products that resonate for them. It’s a big enough opportunity to make us a rich country again.