Why are guinea fowl and squabs often marketed as gourmet foods?

In the context of poultry farming, guinea fowl and squabs are primarily of local interest rather than major commercial commodities like chickens or turkeys. Their status as gourmet items is largely attributed to their limited, localized production and their role as niche products within the broader animal husbandry industry.123

While major poultry industries focus on high-volume, efficient production, guinea fowl are often raised as a sideline on small-scale farms. Similarly, squab production—which involves the meat of young pigeons—is typically carried out on a local level and is relatively rare in countries with established, large-scale poultry sectors. Because these birds are not mass-produced for the global market, they are frequently marketed as specialty or gourmet foods.3