Cuba | USMEF Event A Learning Experience | A two-day USMEF seminar held last ...

Cuba

USMEF Event A Learning Experience

A two-day USMEF seminar held last week in Cuba proved to be a learning experience for U.S. meat exporters and Cuban distributors. U.S. meat exporters toured a Cuban processing facility and talked with representatives of retail stores to better understand consumer needs in Cuba.

“Cuba is a country with a limited cattle industry,” USMEF Mexico External Relations Director Gilberto Lozano said. “The demand for meat from the tourism sector is high, and creates a need for importing meat from international markets.”

Personnel from ALIMPORT, the food import agency in Cuba, distributors and others learned about U.S. meat safety protocols, meat grading standards and preparation methods making U.S. pork and beef adaptable to any cuisine.

“The first step is for distributors from hotel restaurants and retail stores to identify the needs of their customers,” said Alex Sune, a Cargill representative. “That will help determine what types of products and grades they need. For example, ‘Select’ products could better meet consumer needs than ‘Prime’ options.”

Distributors had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with U.S. meat companies and taste their products. In addition, U.S. meat exporters had a chance to talk with hotel and retail buyers and network with other U.S. companies exporting meat to Cuba.

Cuba

USMEF Event A Learning Experience

A two-day USMEF seminar held last week in Cuba proved to be a learning experience for U.S. meat exporters and Cuban distributors. U.S. meat exporters toured a Cuban processing facility and talked with representatives of retail stores to better understand consumer needs in Cuba.

“Cuba is a country with a limited cattle industry,” USMEF Mexico External Relations Director Gilberto Lozano said. “The demand for meat from the tourism sector is high, and creates a need for importing meat from international markets.”

Personnel from ALIMPORT, the food import agency in Cuba, distributors and others learned about U.S. meat safety protocols, meat grading standards and preparation methods making U.S. pork and beef adaptable to any cuisine.

“The first step is for distributors from hotel restaurants and retail stores to identify the needs of their customers,” said Alex Sune, a Cargill representative. “That will help determine what types of products and grades they need. For example, ‘Select’ products could better meet consumer needs than ‘Prime’ options.”

Distributors had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with U.S. meat companies and taste their products. In addition, U.S. meat exporters had a chance to talk with hotel and retail buyers and network with other U.S. companies exporting meat to Cuba.