USMEF Collaborates with Asian Buyers to Promote New U.S. Beef, Pork Cuts

USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng greets buyers to a seminar examining alternative beef and pork cuts, held last week in Tokyo

Twenty-five major Asian importers, retailers and restaurateurs assembled in Tokyo last week to evaluate more than two dozen new-to-market U.S. beef and pork cuts. Funding for this activity was provided by the Beef Checkoff Program, the Pork Checkoff and the USDA Market Access Program (MAP)

U.S. packer representatives based in the region – including those from Cargill, JBS, National Beef and Tyson Foods – joined the event, in addition to key Japanese buyers and end-users. Six pork cuts and 22 beef cuts were included in cutting demonstrations and tastings conducted at the seminar. Commercial boxed samples of the new items were also displayed, allowing buyers and end users to observe specification and packaging options.

“It is imperative that we intensify our effort to maximize carcass utilization by diversifying our export portfolio," noted USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “This is exactly the type of event that moves us toward that goal."

Buyers have been actively seeking alternative cuts as prices of items traditionally exported to Asia, such as short plate and short ribs, have skyrocketed over the past year due to surging regional demand and constrained U.S. supplies.

"Because of the affordability of the items featured at this seminar, we believe they offer potential to displace products supplied by our competitors," added Seng.

Retail merchandiser Kemi Nobuhide conducts a cutting demonstration

USMEF forecasts that available beef supplies for Asia will tighten this year, as herd rebuilding begins in Australia and any increase in U.S. supplies remains a year or more away.

Items cut and sampled at the seminar included beef clod hearts, beef loin wing, plate finger, pork sirloin ends and brisket bones. Professional Japanese retail merchandiser Kemi Nobuhide conducted the cutting demonstration and led a discussion on the attributes of these cuts. He explained how each of these cuts can be merchandised into tasty and affordable Asian menu items such as shabu shabu, yakiniku and ton-teki (pork steak).

Participant feedback on the seminar was very positive.

"The Korean and Chinese markets compete more and more for supplies of certain, popular cuts,” said Pillhyun Nam of Janghara Meat, a long-time importer of U.S. beef. “We need to examine new cuts."

In emerging markets such as Vietnam, cost is the key driver of demand.

"We supply U.S. beef to the growing Korean barbecue scene in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City,” said Chu Quyet Tien of Tien Tien Company. “Customers of popular family-style chains are sensitive to menu prices, so we need to have more options in order to keep U.S. beef strongly featured on our menu."

USMEF also presented U.S. beef and pork market updates to the group, with a particular focus on the increasing affordability and outstanding value offered by U.S. pork. Prior to the seminar, the Asian buyers group observed U.S. beef and pork featured at Tokyo retail outlets. The group was joined by USMEF staff from the Asia-Pacific region, who assembled earlier in the week to discuss regional marketing plans and assess the outlook for U.S. beef, pork and lamb exports to the region.