New Zealand has a long history of exporting beef and mutton to all over the world. Its meat products are of superior quality, healthy and safe, enjoying a high reputation globally. At present, New Zealand is a major producer and exporter of meat in the world. 92% of the lamb and 83% of the beef produced in New Zealand are exported to over 120 countries. China imports a large amount of beef and mutton from New Zealand every year. In 2013, the import of beef reached 35,400 tons, with a trade volume of 157 million US dollars. The volume of mutton reached 137,000 tons, with a trade volume of 540 million US dollars.

New Zealand's Halal-certified food exports began in 1975, with approximately one quarter of the exported meat being halal-certified food. In 2014, New Zealand exported 100,000 tons of Halal-certified food to the Muslim market and 113,000 tons to non-Muslim markets. The main markets for New Zealand's halal meat exports include countries such as Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Every year, a large amount of halal meat products are imported from New Zealand to China. In 2014, China became the largest export market for New Zealand's Halal-certified meat products, accounting for 24% of the country's Halal-certified meat exports.