U.S. Beef, Pork and Lamb Share Spotlight at Taipei International Food Show

U.S. beef, pork and lamb were all prominently featured at the Taipei International Food Show, which attracted more than 1,700 exhibitors from 36 countries – many of them competitors of the U.S. red meat industry. Funded by the USDA Market Access Program (MAP), the Beef Checkoff Program and the Pork Checkoff, USMEF’s strategy showcased cuts and dishes that best fit the tastes and demands of Taiwanese consumers.

Attendees sample U.S. lamb at the Taipei International Food Show

A video showing USMEF activities at the Taipei show can be seen on the USMEF-Taiwan Facebook page.

“We divided our booth into separate areas for U.S. beef, pork and lamb as a way to focus attention on each product,” said Davis Wu, USMEF director in Taiwan. “The HRI, foodservice, retail and restaurant managers naturally are looking for products that will sell and attract customers. The Taipei show is an excellent venue for introducing them to new and fresh ideas for U.S. beef, pork and lamb.”

The beef portion of USMEF’s display included tasting sections for barbecue, hotpot items and steak cuts. Wu said USMEF’s Taiwan office has been promoting barbecue and hotpot items over the past six months and has a large steak promotional campaign scheduled for 2018.

The U.S. beef section in the USMEF display had separate sections for barbecue and hot pot dishes

“In the barbecue section, we had American-style brisket prepared by Kevin Woolf, who is the pioneer of American barbecue in Taiwan,” explained Wu. “For the hotpot section, we had tasting samples of clod heart. Top sirloin cap, along with petite tender beef cubes, was featured in the steak section.”

Taipei International Food Show attendees line up for U.S. pork dishes at the USMEF display

Various branded U.S. beef products were also put on display with consumer-friendly recipe ideas.

Chef Leo Wu and Chef Fly Pan were on hand to present cooking demonstrations with U.S. plate finger, petite tender and top sirloin cap.

“There were four cooking sessions each day, and to encourage the use of alternative U.S. beef cuts, chefs Wu and Pan explained the characteristics of each beef cut and detailed some simple cooking methods,” said Wu.

To increase consumer interest in U.S. pork, USMEF partnered with Jin Ku Food Corporation, one of Taipei’s largest pork importers and a company that has been involved in developing new processed U.S. pork products. These items include U.S. mini German pork hocks and smoked U.S. pork ribs. Samples of both products were distributed in the U.S. pork section of the USMEF display.

“We see the Taipei International Food Show as a starting point for planned upcoming sampling events in HRI channels to test public acceptance of U.S. pork, and it was encouraging that most visitors at this year’s show responded very favorably to the products,” said Wu. “Meanwhile, some foodservice operators and owners of barbecue restaurants also said they will consider purchasing more pork products to add value and variety to their menus.”

To increase the market value and create a “high-end” image of U.S. lamb, USMEF-Taiwan has been promoting the brand “U.S. Blue Diamond Lamb.”

At the Taipei show, USMEF distributed a “U.S. Blue Diamond Lamb” informational brochure and displayed cuts of U.S. lamb from Superior Farms and Mountain States Rosen. The cuts included foreshank, shortloin, ribs, legs, rack saddle, loin, hindshank and rib fingers.

A U.S. beef cooking demonstration followed by tasting at the Taipei International Food Show

“We conducted tastings featuring boneless shoulder and rib fingers to demonstrate the unique flavor of U.S. lamb,” said Wu. “Response from all the food industry sectors and consumers were very positive. Some foodservice representatives have shown interest and asked for further information from importers of U.S. lamb.”