Online Workshop in Mexico Promotes New Ways to Grill U.S. Pork

Sharing new ideas for grilling U.S. pork during stay-at-home restrictions, USMEF teamed with Weber Grills in Mexico to launch the Mobile Grill Academy, an online education and training module. Funded by the National Pork Board and the Illinois Soybean Association, the sessions are designed to help Mexican retailers and foodservice operators engage with consumers and encourage them to purchase U.S. pork.

“Weber Grill workshops have traditionally been face-to-face activities, but at a time when many people are staying home and avoiding gatherings of people, we developed an online tool to demonstrate how to grill U.S. pork,” said Lorenzo Elizalde, USMEF trade manager in Mexico.

Following a successful test run with USMEF staff, grilling supplies and U.S. pork cuts were sent to interested importers, distributors, retailers and foodservice professionals in Mexico. A Weber Grill specialist taught the initial class, demonstrating methods for grilling U.S. pork loin with Alabama sauce.

“After the first event, many participants expressed interest in implementing the online grilling workshop for their clients, which is exactly what we had in mind,” said Elizalde. “It’s likely the pandemic will continue to affect how people interact and how foodservice businesses train employees, at least for a little while. Having this online workshop available is a very valuable tool for promoting U.S. pork.”

A Weber Grill specialist grills U.S. pork during a workshop presented on Zoom for importers, distributors, retailers and foodservice professionals