Bone-In U.S. Beef Clears Inspections in Taiwan
Published: Jan 18, 2010
For the first time in more than six years, bone-in cuts of U.S. beef have been successfully exported to Taiwan. The first shipment of bone-in U.S. beef cleared inspections in Taiwan on Monday, Jan. 18. USMEF, the importer of record, plans to utilize part of this first shipment for an appreciation luncheon for key customers and accounts, to be held Feb. 2 at the Sherwood Hotel Taipei. The remaining products will be supplied to some of Taiwan's most upscale hotels, where chefs anticipate a very enthusiastic consumer response. Despite the recent controversy surrounding U.S.-Taiwan beef trade, USMEF Senior Vice President Joel Haggard is optimistic about the prospects for both boneless and bone-in cuts of U.S. beef in the coming year. "Obviously the negative media attention has been an unwelcome development, and this has had some impact on sales," said Haggard, who oversees the Asia Pacific region for USMEF. "But we expect that as this issue fades from the newspapers our sales will rebound quickly. Many in Taiwan are eagerly waiting U.S. bone-in beef." Haggard is particularly encouraged by the positive response shown by importers, retailers and restaurateurs toward the long-awaited return of bone-in U.S. beef cuts. "There does not seem to be a fear by hotels or restaurants that featuring bone-in beef will elicit a negative consumer response, and the fact that importers have been placing orders for bone-in beef speaks to their confidence in the market," he said. "In addition to items like the bone-in short rib, hotels are already clamoring for hot items like bone-in ribeyes and prime ribs, and even some specialty items like bone-in striploins. There are even several people in Taiwan that are dry aging beef and plan to do so with newly arrived U.S. bone-in cuts." "Among our key accounts, we see a lot of confidence in the ability to sell the bone-in product," Haggard continued. "We're finding that they are anxious to cooperate with USMEF and the U.S. beef industry to promote both boneless" and bone-in beef. So we're going to be redoubling those promotional efforts, as well as reassuring the Taiwan public about the safety of all U.S. beef products." Through November 2009, U.S. beef exports to Taiwan totaled $125.2 million - a 7 percent increase over the first 11 months of 2008. When December results are available, exports should surpass the all-time, single-year value record of $128 million, set in 2008.
For the first time in more than six years, bone-in cuts of U.S. beef have been successfully exported to Taiwan. The first shipment of bone-in U.S. beef cleared inspections in Taiwan on Monday, Jan. 18. USMEF, the importer of record, plans to utilize part of this first shipment for an appreciation luncheon for key customers and accounts, to be held Feb. 2 at the Sherwood Hotel Taipei. The remaining products will be supplied to some of Taiwan's most upscale hotels, where chefs anticipate a very enthusiastic consumer response. Despite the recent controversy surrounding U.S.-Taiwan beef trade, USMEF Senior Vice President Joel Haggard is optimistic about the prospects for both boneless and bone-in cuts of U.S. beef in the coming year. "Obviously the negative media attention has been an unwelcome development, and this has had some impact on sales," said Haggard, who oversees the Asia Pacific region for USMEF. "But we expect that as this issue fades from the newspapers our sales will rebound quickly. Many in Taiwan are eagerly waiting U.S. bone-in beef." Haggard is particularly encouraged by the positive response shown by importers, retailers and restaurateurs toward the long-awaited return of bone-in U.S. beef cuts. "There does not seem to be a fear by hotels or restaurants that featuring bone-in beef will elicit a negative consumer response, and the fact that importers have been placing orders for bone-in beef speaks to their confidence in the market," he said. "In addition to items like the bone-in short rib, hotels are already clamoring for hot items like bone-in ribeyes and prime ribs, and even some specialty items like bone-in striploins. There are even several people in Taiwan that are dry aging beef and plan to do so with newly arrived U.S. bone-in cuts." "Among our key accounts, we see a lot of confidence in the ability to sell the bone-in product," Haggard continued. "We're finding that they are anxious to cooperate with USMEF and the U.S. beef industry to promote both boneless" and bone-in beef. So we're going to be redoubling those promotional efforts, as well as reassuring the Taiwan public about the safety of all U.S. beef products." Through November 2009, U.S. beef exports to Taiwan totaled $125.2 million - a 7 percent increase over the first 11 months of 2008. When December results are available, exports should surpass the all-time, single-year value record of $128 million, set in 2008.