Consumers Introduced to Valued-Added U.S. Pork in Australia

Although import restrictions limit consumer awareness of U.S. pork, retail promotions reveal the superior taste of value-added U.S. pork to consumers.

Costco shoppers sampled Johnsonville sausages, SPAM products, Stagg Chili and Hormel bacon crumbles in a series of promotions in 2021 to show consumers that although U.S. pork has limited access to Australia, high quality, value-added U.S. pork products are available.

With funding from USDA and the National Pork Board, USMEF coordinated in-store food samples, supporting materials and promotional content in Costco’s customer magazine and website.

While in-store product sampling was sometimes limited due to COVID restrictions, both companies involved reported sharp increases in sales during the promotions.

Australia maintains strict limits on pork imports from the U.S., allowing only heat-processed pork and frozen pork imported for further processing.

“Despite the restrictions U.S. pork faces in Oceania, we're finding ways to get value-added products into the region and going beyond raw material for further processing,” said USMEF-ASEAN director Sabrina Yin. “And we saw Australian consumers embracing the U.S. pork products we can offer in the region.”

As COVID restrictions loosen, USMEF plans to expand the demos in 2022 with a possible extension into New Zealand.

Customers sample U.S. pork sausage at a Costco in Australia