USMEF Partners with Importer to Launch U.S. Pork Boston Butt in Chile

Throughout Latin America, USMEF is enhancing market development efforts for the U.S. pork Boston butt. In Colombia, USMEF markets the Boston butt as an “opportunity cut” to the trade. In Mexico, Boston butt is the “U.S. pork cut of the year.”

The Boston butt’s versatility and flavor are suited to a great variety of menu applications and presents new opportunities to get U.S. pork on menus in the region. A recent target market for the Boston butt is Chile, where USMEF promoted it at a product launch event in Santiago. USMEF partnered with Chilean importer Almakila to introduce the Boston butt to its end-user customers.

Following presentations on the U.S. pork industry, U.S. pork quality and safety, and specific quality characteristics of the Boston butt, USMEF ambassador chefs prepared four dishes for 102 foodservice customers of Almakila ‒ Boston butt burger, pulled pork, Boston butt steak and tacos al pastor.

“The Boston butt has great flavor, is juicy and versatile, and excellent in a wide variety of dishes,” says USMEF South America Regional Representative Jessica Julca. “It maintains its flavor and juiciness through numerous applications and that’s what we wanted Almakila’s customers to experience.”

USMEF also conducted a blind taste test for attendees, in which they compared the U.S. Boston butt to premium Argentine striploin. Participants evaluated juiciness, tenderness and flavor, with 70% preferring Boston butt, said Julca.

The launch event was made possible with support from the National Pork Board.