Berlin – September 10, 2026 -- Germany's poultry meat market is set to expand by more than 50% in volume by 2040, driven by annual demand growth of 2.1 to 2.5 percent overall and up to 3.4 percent for chicken, according to the Roland Berger Poultry Study 2026 commissioned by the Central Association of the German Poultry Industry (ZDG).
Self-sufficiency could fall from 91% to as low as 73% without new investment
Germany's poultry self-sufficiency rate stands at 91 percent today but risks dropping to between 73 and 77 percent by 2040 if domestic production capacity does not expand, the study finds. The import surplus has already grown more than eightfold, from 55,000 tonnes in 2014 to 462,000 tonnes in 2025. Chicken accounts for 82 percent of poultry imports, and roughly 60 percent of chicken imports now consist of premium cuts such as breast meat.
Industry pledges €1 billion in new barns and processing capacity
ZDG managing director Wolfgang Schleicher said the sector is ready to invest at least one billion euros in modern barns and additional slaughter and processing capacity, contingent on faster permitting and stable regulatory conditions. The study estimates Germany would need 130 to 180 new chicken barns per year nationwide through 2040 to meet rising demand domestically.
Poultry consumption rose 28% since 2010 while overall meat use fell 12%
Total meat consumption in Germany dropped roughly 12 percent between 2010 and 2025, to 76 kilograms per capita, while poultry consumption rose 28 percent to about 22 kilograms per capita over the same period. Chicken consumption alone increased 62 percent, making poultry the only major meat category showing significant growth. A Civey survey conducted for ZDG found that one in two Germans aged 16 to 29 eats poultry most frequently, with 80 percent consuming it at least once a week.
Poultry now supplies 13-14% of Germany's protein intake
Chicken and turkey breast provide approximately 23 and 24 grams of protein per 100 grams respectively, with only one to two grams of fat, positioning poultry as a low-carbon protein source. The study estimates poultry already contributes 13 to 14 percent of Germany's total protein supply, and cites data showing 55 percent of Gen Z and millennial consumers actively monitor protein intake. Roland Berger calculates the sector-wide shift toward poultry will cut CO2 emissions by approximately 25 percent between 2010 and 2040.
Roland Berger urges faster permits and EU-wide standards
Roland Berger partner Dr. Nicolas Wüthrich said Germany should strengthen domestic poultry production as a pillar of food security, citing increasingly fragile supply chains and geopolitical risks to agricultural markets. The study recommends four measures: accelerated and digitized permitting for barn construction and conversions, a centralized one-stop administrative system to eliminate duplicate reporting, visible origin labeling covering food service and catering, and harmonized animal welfare, environmental and labor standards across the EU single market, including equivalent requirements for third-country imports.
More than half of German poultry farmers have already invested in energy efficiency measures such as photovoltaics, with another 30 percent planning similar steps, the study notes.