Ohio “Pork and Beans” Support Promotes U.S. Pork Ribs in Japan
Ohio“Pork and Beans” Support Promotes U.S. Pork Ribs in Japan
Support from Ohio pork and soybean producers is helping USMEF introduce pork ribs to a wider range of consumers in Japan, which is traditionally the U.S. pork industry’s highest-value export market.
In conjunction with Market Access Program funding, Pork Checkoff support from the Ohio Pork Producers Council (OPPC) has been used throughout August and September to promote U.S. pork ribs at more than 100 Ito Yokado supermarkets in the Tokyo area. Ito Yokado is Japan’s second-largest retail grocery chain.
An important aspect of the promotion is the use of “kitchen stations” at 13 key Ito Yokado locations where customers can sample U.S. pork back ribs and receive tips on how to prepare and cook them. Pork ribs are a relatively new item to the Japan market, but they are quickly gaining traction with Japanese consumers.
Kitchen stations in Japan’s Ito Yokado supermarkets allow customers
to sample U.S. pork ribs and to obtain recipe ideas and cooking tips
“Japan has been very important to our industry because they purchase so many loins,” said Randy Brown of Morral, Ohio, who serves on the OPPC board of directors. “But I think it’s very important that we promote new cuts in the Japanese market. The more cuts we get over there, the better it is for our pork producers – that’s for sure.”
Jean Bell, a Zanesville, Ohio, pork producer who chairs OPPC’s demand enhancement committee, agreed.
“Exports are just so critical for pork producers, and that’s why OPPC decided to make the investment in this promotion,” she said. “We felt it would be a very good thing for the entire pork industry to educate consumers about a product that has not traditionally been a big seller in Japan. Funding these cooking demonstrations and educational materials is a great way to promote U.S. back ribs and increase our pork exports.”
Further support from Ohio agriculture will allow the rib promotion to continue into the fall months. Soybean checkoff funding provided by the Ohio Soybean Council will allow USMEF to extend the Ito Yokado pork rib promotions through October and to explore other retail opportunities for U.S. pork ribs.
“Pork producers are tremendous customers for the Ohio soybean industry, and we know how important this export market is to their profitability,” said John Lumpe, executive director of the Ohio Soybean Council. “We are very proud to participate in this effort to expand the presence of U.S. pork in Japan.”
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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
Ohio“Pork and Beans” Support Promotes U.S. Pork Ribs in Japan
Support from Ohio pork and soybean producers is helping USMEF introduce pork ribs to a wider range of consumers in Japan, which is traditionally the U.S. pork industry’s highest-value export market.
In conjunction with Market Access Program funding, Pork Checkoff support from the Ohio Pork Producers Council (OPPC) has been used throughout August and September to promote U.S. pork ribs at more than 100 Ito Yokado supermarkets in the Tokyo area. Ito Yokado is Japan’s second-largest retail grocery chain.
An important aspect of the promotion is the use of “kitchen stations” at 13 key Ito Yokado locations where customers can sample U.S. pork back ribs and receive tips on how to prepare and cook them. Pork ribs are a relatively new item to the Japan market, but they are quickly gaining traction with Japanese consumers.
Kitchen stations in Japan’s Ito Yokado supermarkets allow customers
to sample U.S. pork ribs and to obtain recipe ideas and cooking tips
“Japan has been very important to our industry because they purchase so many loins,” said Randy Brown of Morral, Ohio, who serves on the OPPC board of directors. “But I think it’s very important that we promote new cuts in the Japanese market. The more cuts we get over there, the better it is for our pork producers – that’s for sure.”
Jean Bell, a Zanesville, Ohio, pork producer who chairs OPPC’s demand enhancement committee, agreed.
“Exports are just so critical for pork producers, and that’s why OPPC decided to make the investment in this promotion,” she said. “We felt it would be a very good thing for the entire pork industry to educate consumers about a product that has not traditionally been a big seller in Japan. Funding these cooking demonstrations and educational materials is a great way to promote U.S. back ribs and increase our pork exports.”
Further support from Ohio agriculture will allow the rib promotion to continue into the fall months. Soybean checkoff funding provided by the Ohio Soybean Council will allow USMEF to extend the Ito Yokado pork rib promotions through October and to explore other retail opportunities for U.S. pork ribs.
“Pork producers are tremendous customers for the Ohio soybean industry, and we know how important this export market is to their profitability,” said John Lumpe, executive director of the Ohio Soybean Council. “We are very proud to participate in this effort to expand the presence of U.S. pork in Japan.”
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.