Hong Kong | Hong Kong Restaurant Industry Studies Success Of U.S. Beef In Ta...

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Restaurant Industry Studies Success Of U.S. Beef In Taiwan

USMEF led 11 of Hong Kong’s most prominent restaurant chain owners and operators to Taiwan Jan. 8-12 to show them the diversity of U.S. beef dishes available at restaurants in the Taipei area.

“We wanted to show how U.S. beef has been adopted successfully as a principal ingredient in a wide range of restaurant concepts, including traditional western steakhouses, shabu-shabu, teppanyaki, sukiyaki and yakiniku or Korean-style barbecue,” said USMEF Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Joel Haggard.

Taiwan has been the top Asian market for U.S. beef in 2006, with shipments through November reaching 19,755 metric tons valued at $93.8 million. The island has been a principal buyer of Asian cuts such as boneless short ribs, chuck short ribs, chuck flap tail and short plate. The low cost of these items has allowed U.S. beef to penetrate even lower-cost foodservice establishments, such as the Noble Family steakhouse chain, which operates 180 outlets in Taiwan.

“We can purchase U.S. chuck short ribs at close to US $1.00 per pound cheaper than New Zealand rib-eyes, and the quality and taste are excellent,” said Alex Chang, a purchaser for Noble Family steakhouse. “We use mostly U.S. beef for the range of steaks on our menu.”

USMEF notes that a U.S. beef chuck short ribs steak meal, with unlimited salad, dessert and beverage bar at Noble costs the equivalent of US $7.20. “U.S. beef is within the price reach of most Taiwan residents,” USMEF Taiwan Director Davis Wu said. 

Wu notes that U.S. beef’s success in Taiwan is due in part to the wide range of items being sold and the ability for these different items to be utilized by low cost establishments, middle class family restaurants such as Bullfight Crew, and high-end eateries such as the Regent Hotel, Ruth’s Chris and Lawry’s Prime Rib.

“The trip has been an eye-opener to see how U.S. beef is merchandized in a variety of ways, both Western and Asian,” said Andrew Lee, vice chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Restaurant Trades (FORT) and operator of Hong Kong’s largest steakhouse chain Steak Expert. “This has helped broaden the horizons of our delegation on the versatility of U.S. beef.” 

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Restaurant Industry Studies Success Of U.S. Beef In Taiwan

USMEF led 11 of Hong Kong’s most prominent restaurant chain owners and operators to Taiwan Jan. 8-12 to show them the diversity of U.S. beef dishes available at restaurants in the Taipei area.

“We wanted to show how U.S. beef has been adopted successfully as a principal ingredient in a wide range of restaurant concepts, including traditional western steakhouses, shabu-shabu, teppanyaki, sukiyaki and yakiniku or Korean-style barbecue,” said USMEF Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Joel Haggard.

Taiwan has been the top Asian market for U.S. beef in 2006, with shipments through November reaching 19,755 metric tons valued at $93.8 million. The island has been a principal buyer of Asian cuts such as boneless short ribs, chuck short ribs, chuck flap tail and short plate. The low cost of these items has allowed U.S. beef to penetrate even lower-cost foodservice establishments, such as the Noble Family steakhouse chain, which operates 180 outlets in Taiwan.

“We can purchase U.S. chuck short ribs at close to US $1.00 per pound cheaper than New Zealand rib-eyes, and the quality and taste are excellent,” said Alex Chang, a purchaser for Noble Family steakhouse. “We use mostly U.S. beef for the range of steaks on our menu.”

USMEF notes that a U.S. beef chuck short ribs steak meal, with unlimited salad, dessert and beverage bar at Noble costs the equivalent of US $7.20. “U.S. beef is within the price reach of most Taiwan residents,” USMEF Taiwan Director Davis Wu said. 

Wu notes that U.S. beef’s success in Taiwan is due in part to the wide range of items being sold and the ability for these different items to be utilized by low cost establishments, middle class family restaurants such as Bullfight Crew, and high-end eateries such as the Regent Hotel, Ruth’s Chris and Lawry’s Prime Rib.

“The trip has been an eye-opener to see how U.S. beef is merchandized in a variety of ways, both Western and Asian,” said Andrew Lee, vice chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Restaurant Trades (FORT) and operator of Hong Kong’s largest steakhouse chain Steak Expert. “This has helped broaden the horizons of our delegation on the versatility of U.S. beef.”