Chicken is becoming the world's most popular meat

 Global chicken production surged between 2006 and 2023, rising from 48.3 billion to 76.2 billion birds, according to media reports.

Until a few decades ago, chicken was not an obvious candidate to become the most consumed meat in the world. That spot was held by beef, while pork saw higher production volumes, particularly in China and Europe.

In the past, poultry farming was not primarily geared toward meat production; farmers raised chickens mainly for eggs. In 2022, according to UN data, chicken surpassed pork in terms of production volume.

This growth is concentrated primarily in the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, and Europe, with China and the United States accounting for one-third of global demand. 

The success of the poultry industry is attributed to its affordability, feed efficiency, rapid production cycle, and the absence of significant religious or cultural restrictions.