Mexican Deli Promotion Highlights U.S. Pork
Published: Feb 16, 2011
The retail environment in top Mexican supermarkets on key weekend shopping days has been likened to a “battlefield” by one U.S. processor who markets products there. Armies of product demonstrators – sometimes as many as six or seven representing a single brand – will corner customers and crowd out those companies that do not promote aggressively.
USMEF-Mexico recently brought the message of the quality and nutritional attributes of U.S. pork deli meats to seven Walmart supercenters and an equal number of Comercial Mexicana stores in Mexico City to raise awareness and the visibility of a variety of U.S. pork deli products.
USMEF-Mexico recently brought the message of the quality and nutritional attributes of U.S. pork deli meats to seven Walmart supercenters and an equal number of Comercial Mexicana stores in Mexico City to raise awareness and the visibility of a variety of U.S. pork deli products.
Supported with funding from the Pork Checkoff, the promotion involved Mexican meat industry leader Bafar, which utilizes U.S. pork in its products, including ham and sausage. Other products featured in the promotion were bacon, prosciutto, chorizo and salami.
Training for USMEF's product demonstrators included information on the nutritional attributes of U.S. pork, including the proteins and amino acids that are essential for the development of children and adolescents. In addition to product samples, the demonstrators also distributed Bafar recipes for meats clearly labeled as products of the United States.
The response to the promotions was extremely positive. Bafar reported that sales of its ham essentially doubled at Comercial Mexicana, while its sausages averaged more than a 1,000 percent sales increase. At Walmart, sales of targeted sausage products rose more than 51 percent, while new-to-market U.S. ham, bacon, salami, prosciutto and chorizo products were very well received by customers.
“Our goal is to raise awareness among consumers of the quality and taste of 100 percent U.S. pork deli meats,” said Chad Russell, regional director of USMEF offices in Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic. “We believe that educating consumers while giving them an opportunity to sample these high quality products is a great way to help U.S. pork make inroads in this growing market sector.”
Russell noted that deli sales account for about 20 percent of all meat (pork, beef and poultry) consumption in Mexico, and more than 60 percent of those products are purchased by retail shoppers – the sector that is the focus of the USMEF initiative.
“The profit margin for deli products is among the highest in the perishable area of the supermarket,” said Russell, “so to the extent that sales of these products can be increased it is good for our supermarket partners as well as for U.S. suppliers.”
Russell also said that deli products have been an important channel for U.S. pork during the economic downturn in Mexico since they often are less expensive than fresh red meats.
Mexico was the top volume market for U.S. pork in 2010, importing 545,732 metric tons (1.2 billion pounds) of product valued at $986.7 million, increases of 8 percent in volume and 29 percent in value over 2009.
Training for USMEF's product demonstrators included information on the nutritional attributes of U.S. pork, including the proteins and amino acids that are essential for the development of children and adolescents. In addition to product samples, the demonstrators also distributed Bafar recipes for meats clearly labeled as products of the United States.
The response to the promotions was extremely positive. Bafar reported that sales of its ham essentially doubled at Comercial Mexicana, while its sausages averaged more than a 1,000 percent sales increase. At Walmart, sales of targeted sausage products rose more than 51 percent, while new-to-market U.S. ham, bacon, salami, prosciutto and chorizo products were very well received by customers.
“Our goal is to raise awareness among consumers of the quality and taste of 100 percent U.S. pork deli meats,” said Chad Russell, regional director of USMEF offices in Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic. “We believe that educating consumers while giving them an opportunity to sample these high quality products is a great way to help U.S. pork make inroads in this growing market sector.”
Russell noted that deli sales account for about 20 percent of all meat (pork, beef and poultry) consumption in Mexico, and more than 60 percent of those products are purchased by retail shoppers – the sector that is the focus of the USMEF initiative.
“The profit margin for deli products is among the highest in the perishable area of the supermarket,” said Russell, “so to the extent that sales of these products can be increased it is good for our supermarket partners as well as for U.S. suppliers.”
Russell also said that deli products have been an important channel for U.S. pork during the economic downturn in Mexico since they often are less expensive than fresh red meats.
Mexico was the top volume market for U.S. pork in 2010, importing 545,732 metric tons (1.2 billion pounds) of product valued at $986.7 million, increases of 8 percent in volume and 29 percent in value over 2009.
The retail environment in top Mexican supermarkets on key weekend shopping days has been likened to a “battlefield” by one U.S. processor who markets products there. Armies of product demonstrators – sometimes as many as six or seven representing a single brand – will corner customers and crowd out those companies that do not promote aggressively.
USMEF-Mexico recently brought the message of the quality and nutritional attributes of U.S. pork deli meats to seven Walmart supercenters and an equal number of Comercial Mexicana stores in Mexico City to raise awareness and the visibility of a variety of U.S. pork deli products.
USMEF-Mexico recently brought the message of the quality and nutritional attributes of U.S. pork deli meats to seven Walmart supercenters and an equal number of Comercial Mexicana stores in Mexico City to raise awareness and the visibility of a variety of U.S. pork deli products.
Supported with funding from the Pork Checkoff, the promotion involved Mexican meat industry leader Bafar, which utilizes U.S. pork in its products, including ham and sausage. Other products featured in the promotion were bacon, prosciutto, chorizo and salami.
Training for USMEF’s product demonstrators included information on the nutritional attributes of U.S. pork, including the proteins and amino acids that are essential for the development of children and adolescents. In addition to product samples, the demonstrators also distributed Bafar recipes for meats clearly labeled as products of the United States.
The response to the promotions was extremely positive. Bafar reported that sales of its ham essentially doubled at Comercial Mexicana, while its sausages averaged more than a 1,000 percent sales increase. At Walmart, sales of targeted sausage products rose more than 51 percent, while new-to-market U.S. ham, bacon, salami, prosciutto and chorizo products were very well received by customers.
“Our goal is to raise awareness among consumers of the quality and taste of 100 percent U.S. pork deli meats,” said Chad Russell, regional director of USMEF offices in Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic. “We believe that educating consumers while giving them an opportunity to sample these high quality products is a great way to help U.S. pork make inroads in this growing market sector.”
Russell noted that deli sales account for about 20 percent of all meat (pork, beef and poultry) consumption in Mexico, and more than 60 percent of those products are purchased by retail shoppers – the sector that is the focus of the USMEF initiative.
“The profit margin for deli products is among the highest in the perishable area of the supermarket,” said Russell, “so to the extent that sales of these products can be increased it is good for our supermarket partners as well as for U.S. suppliers.”
Russell also said that deli products have been an important channel for U.S. pork during the economic downturn in Mexico since they often are less expensive than fresh red meats.
Mexico was the top volume market for U.S. pork in 2010, importing 545,732 metric tons (1.2 billion pounds) of product valued at $986.7 million, increases of 8 percent in volume and 29 percent in value over 2009.
Training for USMEF’s product demonstrators included information on the nutritional attributes of U.S. pork, including the proteins and amino acids that are essential for the development of children and adolescents. In addition to product samples, the demonstrators also distributed Bafar recipes for meats clearly labeled as products of the United States.
The response to the promotions was extremely positive. Bafar reported that sales of its ham essentially doubled at Comercial Mexicana, while its sausages averaged more than a 1,000 percent sales increase. At Walmart, sales of targeted sausage products rose more than 51 percent, while new-to-market U.S. ham, bacon, salami, prosciutto and chorizo products were very well received by customers.
“Our goal is to raise awareness among consumers of the quality and taste of 100 percent U.S. pork deli meats,” said Chad Russell, regional director of USMEF offices in Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic. “We believe that educating consumers while giving them an opportunity to sample these high quality products is a great way to help U.S. pork make inroads in this growing market sector.”
Russell noted that deli sales account for about 20 percent of all meat (pork, beef and poultry) consumption in Mexico, and more than 60 percent of those products are purchased by retail shoppers – the sector that is the focus of the USMEF initiative.
“The profit margin for deli products is among the highest in the perishable area of the supermarket,” said Russell, “so to the extent that sales of these products can be increased it is good for our supermarket partners as well as for U.S. suppliers.”
Russell also said that deli products have been an important channel for U.S. pork during the economic downturn in Mexico since they often are less expensive than fresh red meats.
Mexico was the top volume market for U.S. pork in 2010, importing 545,732 metric tons (1.2 billion pounds) of product valued at $986.7 million, increases of 8 percent in volume and 29 percent in value over 2009.