U.S. Beef Highlighted During ‘Delivery Week’ Promotion in South Korea

USMEF supported a dozen craft burger restaurant chains in South Korea by developing in-store and online promotional materials while offering discounts for consumers who ordered delivery of burgers made with U.S. beef.

Funded by the Texas Beef Council, the “Delivery Week” activity ran through June 8 and featured special paper bags for U.S. beef burgers, which could be ordered through restaurant delivery apps. A flier offering information on U.S. beef and a disposable hand sanitizer dispenser were also included with each order.

“Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, food delivery in Korea has seen dramatic growth, as people stay at home to social distance and rely on restaurant-to-consumer service for their meals,” said Jihae Yang, USMEF director in South Korea. “Since the outbreak began in mid-February, staying at home has proven to be a challenge for many – regardless of how small or how large a family is. The convenience of searching, ordering and paying for their food all on one platform is saving time and providing safety.”

Yang pointed to statistics from the Korea Fair Trade Commission, which reported that the number of users of food delivery apps in the country increased from 870,000 in 2013 to 25 million in 2019. Those numbers indicate that, even prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, roughly one out of every two Koreans was using a food delivery app. According to Baemin, Korea’s largest food delivery app, its year-over-year orders in 2020 increased by more than 60% in February, March and April.

USMEF’s ‘Delivery Week’ promotion in South Korea utilized traditional and social media to fuel demand for U.S. beef

Seeing this growth as an opportunity, USMEF utilized traditional and social media platforms to make consumers aware of the Delivery Week promotion. A photo shoot was held at one participating burger restaurant, showcasing restaurant and delivery staff. USMEF utilized its social media channels, as well as third-party channels such as Cosmopolitan Korea Magazine’s Instagram and Facebook accounts and other Instagram accounts, to reach young professionals and fans of craft burgers.