Franchise Business Expo a Great Venue for Reaching Korean Restaurateurs

U.S. beef, pork and processed pork products that fit well with Korean barbecue restaurant menus were showcased at the Korea Franchise Business Expo, a major trade show held in Seoul, South Korea. Funding support for the USMEF exhibit, which featured tasting samples and attracted more than 3,000 visitors, was provided by the USDA Market Access Program (MAP), the Pork Checkoff and the Beef Checkoff Program.

Visitors to the Korea Franchise Business Expo gather around the USMEF exhibit for samples of U.S. beef and pork

At least 70 percent of the 20,000 visitors to the expo were restaurant owners, according to the Korea Franchise Association.

“This was an outstanding opportunity for USMEF to meet with small restaurant owners and managers, representatives of some of the larger restaurant chains and even people who are planning to newly start restaurants or butcher shops in Korea,” said Jihae Yang, USMEF-Korea director. “Although the event was held in Seoul, visitors come from all over Korea because of the expo’s reputation for being a great place for foodservice operators to get information and ideas.”

Cuts of U.S. beef and pork were displayed at the expo, and USMEF answered many questions about supplies and pricing

Along with sharing the many uses for U.S. red meat as it pertains to Korean barbecue dishes, USMEF introduced various steak items – including alternative steak cuts such as petite tender and flat iron.

“Many visitors from Korean barbecue establishments had an interest in hearing more about U.S. beef and pork items and about suppliers in Korea,” said Yang. “They were especially wanting to know about U.S. beef and pork supplies and price information. We were happy to see them come to the USMEF exhibit to seek answers.”