U.S. Beef, Pork Showcased in Dominican Republic

USMEF Corporate Chef German Navarrete prepared U.S. ribeye and U.S. pork loin at “Taste 2015” in the Dominican Republic

To educate importers and food distributors about the quality, versatility and potential profitability of U.S. beef and pork, USMEF recently participated in the “Taste 2015” tradeshow at the Embajador Hotel in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Funding support was provided by the USDA Market Access Program (MAP), the Beef Checkoff Program and the Pork Checkoff.

More than 500 food industry representatives from the Dominican Republic and surrounding countries attended the event, which featured presentations by USMEF HRI Manager Julieta Hernandez and USMEF Corporate Chef German Navarrete. The pair shared a new perspective on the use of U.S. ribeye and U.S. pork loin and emphasized the overall quality and safety of U.S. red meat. They also demonstrated proper meat handling techniques and discussed key issues regarding importation of U.S. beef and pork.

“It is important to remind chefs and foodservice managers in the Dominican Republic that U.S. meat is a quality product that guarantees an excellent dish for their customers,” said Hernandez. “Taste 2015 was an excellent venue for USMEF to showcase new U.S. meat cuts for hotels and restaurants in the region.”

Navarrete noted the show enabled attendees to see the way a U.S. primal can be broken down and how U.S. pork loin can be used to create several different dishes with local flavors.

“All of which raises the profile of U.S. beef and pork products in this region,” explained Navarrete.

2015 was an outstanding year for U.S. red meat exports to the Dominican Republic. Through November, pork/pork variety meat exports totaled 21,347 metric tons – up 37 percent year-over-year – valued at $48.9 million (up 13 percent). Beef/beef variety meat exports were up 12 percent in volume to 6,579 metric tons and increased 10 percent in value to $52.8 million.