News & Events | Middle East | USMEF Teams With Media To Reach U.S. Beef Consumers

Middle East

USMEF Teams With Media To Reach U.S. Beef Consumers

With competition becoming fierce in the Middle East, USMEF is leveraging the rising role of the media to deliver a consistent message about U.S. beef quality and safety to the maximum number of consumers.

“Media shapes the image of any product, so identifying U.S. beef quality advantages and culinary gains in magazines that enter many Arab households is extremely successful in ensuring our messages are accurate and consistent,” said Simon Bakht, USMEF Middle East consultant.

Three dishes prepared with high quality U.S. beef steaks, liver and sausages were featured in the March issue of two popular magazines while two recipes were featured in Al Yamamah, a weekly publication cooperating with USMEF for the first time. The versatility of U.S. beef is emphasized in the recipes, reaching approximately 772,500 readers in the Arab world.

To read more, see the online news release.

Australia & New Zealand

U.S. Pork Representatives Have Close-Up View Of Australia And New Zealand

U.S. pork representatives had a chance to learn how pork importers, packers, fabricators and small goods processors in Australia and New Zealand use U.S. pork and to discuss additional export opportunities in this growing market.

The trip was organized by USMEF to give U.S. pork representatives an opportunity to visit a different culture and gain an understanding of how their products are marketed and used. The pork team consisted of representatives from leading U.S. companies in the pork industry.

“USMEF wanted to enhance beneficial relationships between U.S. pork producers and their business partners in Australia and New Zealand,” said USMEF ASEAN Director Eric Choon. “By participating in visits to foreign markets, U.S. industry representatives have a chance to see how their products are used in restaurants and retail stores.”

Plant tours, retail store visits and meetings with trading companies were among activities arranged by USMEF during the week-long visit.

The team visited Hans Continental Smallgoods Pty Ltd. and Primo Smallgoods, the two largest processors in Australia. There they saw how imported pork was utilized and the live production of bacon, ham and sausages.

The team also visited a variety of retail stores located throughout Australia and New Zealand. Coles, Woolworths, Foodtown and additional independent butcher shops were visited to help the team learn about the range of fresh and processed pork available at the different stores.

The team also visited with several traders to discuss pork issues, including U.S. health certificate documentation, interstate transportation and tariff prices.

Australian traders pointed out the importance of correct documentation, since errors create extra costs due to the delay in release of containers. They said containers have to be discharged and trucked to the point of usage in the same state and that no interstate road transportation is allowed, causing an increase in price.

In addition, New Zealand and Australia traders agreed a tariff of 5 percent on imported U.S. pork gives it a disadvantage compared to Canadian pork. They said the price of U.S. pork is more volatile than Canadian pork, making price, not quality, a key factor in the buying decision relative to other pork imports.

“The trip brought attention to issues affecting U.S. pork in this region,” said Choon. “Team members commented favorably about the tour and said they look forward to taking what they learned to develop more business with the Australia and New Zealand pork importers.”