Overview of beef tallow production in Europe
- The US beef tallow market is growing, with MAHA backing and anti-seed oil sentiment fueling demand.
- The European market is expected to adopt the technology slower than America
- The mainstream beef market may be limited by different eating habits.
- Unsaturated fats are still preferred to tallow in health advice
- Social media can boost awareness, despite skepticism from scientists
The popularity of beef tallow has exploded in the US. Whole Foods Market Trends Council named it as the number one food trend to watch for in 2026.
The food fashions are often shared across the Atlantic. But will European consumers accept this new trend?
The beef by-product is gaining popularity in the United States due to support of the Make America Healthy Again movement (MAHA), changes made to FDA’s dietary guidelines that now include the use of beef tallow for cooking and a growing resistance to seed oil. Now, it’s moving into FMCG such as Prima Protein Bars.
How much will that influence spread outside of America?
Food futurologist, Dr Morgaine Gaye says that the current US reaction against seed oil is gradually affecting UK and European consumers’ awareness.
This is in line with the general trend towards less-processed food. The trend of new consumer interest in tallow from beef is still behind, but the movement towards higher quality products based on animals is clear.
What is beef tallow?
The fat that surrounds the organs of a cow is rendered into beef tallow. It’s then strained, to remove leftover tissue or meat. Finally it’s cooled down to room temperature. Tallow that is food-grade can be used to fry, roast and bake.
Does the trend have a scientific basis?
It is unlikely that the rise of beef tallow in the US will be able to survive in Europe without the help of an organization like MAHA.
Alice Lichtenstein is a professor at Tufts University in the US. She says that “the scientific consensus, aka basic evidence, on saturated fats hasn’t changed over recent years”, particularly when it comes to animal fats, such as meat and milk. But the discourse and non-scientific consensus has changed.
The European guidelines for saturated fats are also unchanged.
According to the European Food Safety Authority, saturated fatty acids should be consumed as little as possible. In 2010, it published a Scientific Opinion on Fats, in which they stated: “As there is a continuous relationship between the intake of saturated fats and an increase in LDL levels, no level below which no negative effects occur can be determined.””.
Seed oils and UPFs
The backlash against seed oils is strong in the US, but it’s across social media and so Europe is not immune.
Is the movement justified? There is no scientific justification for recommending the use of beef tallow in place of seed oils, according to Professor Lichtenstein. “The overwhelming bulk of the scientific evidence suggests more favourable outcomes if dietary patterns are high in plant oils and low in animal fats,” she says.
The movement towards ‘real food’ with simpler labelling and fewer UPFs is also a driver for promoting tallow.
“In general, the consumption of UPF category foods is relatively high,” says Professor Lichtenstein. “There are some reasons to recommend limiting them, such as their tendency to be high in salt and added sugar, and frequently being made with refined grains, but the emphasis should be on encouraging a reduction in their intake, rather than including ingredients such as tallow.”
A different relationship with beef
The US is third in the world for beef consumption per capita, behind Argentina and Brazil, whereas only one European country – Luxembourg – features in the top 15.
“Europe may not embrace tallow in the same way as the US because it has a different relationship with beef,” says Neil Shand, CEO of the British Beef Association. “America has always been passionate about beef and less scared of its by-products than Europe.
“That said, GLP-1 drugs have changed the way people look at their diet and they’ve become more interested in protein, so we’ve seen a shift in attitude towards beef and it seems like people are more willing to say that they’re meat consumers.
You now see beauty products advertising that they’re made with tallow – even just a few years ago, that wouldn’t have been wise.”
He says that the trend of tallow could be coming to Europe but will take longer than it would in the US, where the beef industry is more supported.
The rich taste of beef tallow and its crisp texture are well-known. (Image: Getty/EMS Forster Productions).
Can Europe meet the demand?
Would Europe be able meet the demand if this trend took off? John Powell, the chief executive of British Meat Processors Association says that they haven’t yet seen an increase in consumer demand. If it increased, the availability of meat would be determined by price.
In 2023, the Europe tallow industry was worth $1.17bn and it is estimated to grow to $1.77bn as of 2031.
However, this market is mostly for fuel and pet food.
Regulations (EC) no 853/2004, and Animal Byproducts Regulations are the EU’s strict regulations for food grade beef tallow. Tallow that is classified as edible must come from animals that are fit to be consumed by humans and be processed in facilities approved.
Powell says that “most of the tallow is used for rendering, which has no food value. But if demand and prices increase, then processors will make more money on this low-valued product.” To make tallow food grade, it would need to be processed differently, but the market is willing to adapt if there’s a good return.
It is also important to consider whether the US will be able to keep up with its growth in Europe. Food-grade beef is still expensive, and is a luxury for the wealthy. This is why Whole Foods Market is doing so well.
The thought is that the product won’t translate as well into major supermarkets and mass adoption will be less likely.
Slow burn
In Europe, there are already tallow-based products on the market.
A select few chefs also use this product in their restaurants because of its umami rich flavour and crisp texture.
The trend of using beef tallow in a wider range has yet to reach our shores.
A spokesperson from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board of the UK says that beef tallow has become a popular skincare ingredient. Google searches for beef-tallow reached a peak in 2025, and almost all of them were related to skin care rather than food.
It’s good for those who have been campaigning against saturated fats, but the scientific evidence still favors unsaturated fats in the health arena. Professor Lichtenstein concludes that “there is no advantage to switching from oils rich in unsaturated fats to animal fats, and there are data to support this.”
It remains to be determined whether the social media power and US trends will overwhelm that.