Market shares of major beef suppliers to Taiwan, including Australia, the United States and New Zealand, were estimated econometrically to determine their relative competitiveness. The analysis, based on monthly data from June 1990 to August 1997, showed that relative prices and consumer incomes were important factors influencing suppliers’ market shares. Specifically, the demand for Australian beef responded little to an increase in price and negatively to an increase in consumer income. Furthermore, the growth in Taiwan beef consumption has slowed down and Australian beef suppliers need to re‐assess the market potential and develop appropriate marketing strategies to maintain competitiveness.