Online Pork Back Rib Campaign Attracts Thousands of Consumers in Japan
Published: Jan 27, 2011
Since their introduction in Japan in early 2009, U.S. pork back ribs have proven very popular with Japanese consumers and generated tremendous interest from Japan's major retailers and restaurant chains. To further raise the profile of U.S. back ribs, USMEF recently conducted a six-week, online consumer contest. In addition to its prominent place on the USMEF-Japan website, the contest banner was carried on several of Japan's major cooking-related websites including Yahoo Japan, Woman.excite and Cook Pad.
USMEF also created special
USMEF also created special
campaign stickers and promotional information for distribution to the retailers who feature and promote U.S. pork back ribs. The contest offered a prize of 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of free pork back ribs to each of 200 winners. More than 20,000 people entered, exceeding the target established at the beginning of the campaign.
Included in the contest's application form was a brief questionnaire on back rib products intended to measure Japanese consumers' basic perceptions . Results showed that one-fifth of the respondents had already tasted U.S. pork back ribs. About one-third of these consumers had prepared back ribs in their home, while two-thirds ordered them at a restaurant.
For consumers preparing back ribs at home, grilling is the most popular method (67 percent), while 20 percent prefer boil-and-grill and 13 percent stew them. One survey result that is certain to generate interest among retailers and suppliers: nearly 16,000 of 20,000 respondents answered “Yes,” when asked if they would purchase ready-to-eat back ribs.
The addition of back ribs contributed to a very strong performance for U.S. pork in Japan in 2010. Through November, U.S. pork exports to Japan (including variety meat) totaled 397,528 metric tons (876.4 million pounds) valued at more than $1.5 billion. This was a 2 percent increase in volume and a 6 percent increase in value over 2009, and marked the first time exports had ever broken the $1.5 billion mark before Dec. 1. With strong December results, the all-time single-year value record for pork exports to Japan ($1.545 billion in 2008) is within reach.
Included in the contest's application form was a brief questionnaire on back rib products intended to measure Japanese consumers' basic perceptions . Results showed that one-fifth of the respondents had already tasted U.S. pork back ribs. About one-third of these consumers had prepared back ribs in their home, while two-thirds ordered them at a restaurant.
For consumers preparing back ribs at home, grilling is the most popular method (67 percent), while 20 percent prefer boil-and-grill and 13 percent stew them. One survey result that is certain to generate interest among retailers and suppliers: nearly 16,000 of 20,000 respondents answered “Yes,” when asked if they would purchase ready-to-eat back ribs.
The addition of back ribs contributed to a very strong performance for U.S. pork in Japan in 2010. Through November, U.S. pork exports to Japan (including variety meat) totaled 397,528 metric tons (876.4 million pounds) valued at more than $1.5 billion. This was a 2 percent increase in volume and a 6 percent increase in value over 2009, and marked the first time exports had ever broken the $1.5 billion mark before Dec. 1. With strong December results, the all-time single-year value record for pork exports to Japan ($1.545 billion in 2008) is within reach.
Since their introduction in Japan in early 2009, U.S. pork back ribs have proven very popular with Japanese consumers and generated tremendous interest from Japan’s major retailers and restaurant chains. To further raise the profile of U.S. back ribs, USMEF recently conducted a six-week, online consumer contest. In addition to its prominent place on the USMEF-Japan website, the contest banner was carried on several of Japan’s major cooking-related websites including Yahoo Japan, Woman.excite and Cook Pad.
USMEF also created special
USMEF also created special
campaign stickers and promotional information for distribution to the retailers who feature and promote U.S. pork back ribs. The contest offered a prize of 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of free pork back ribs to each of 200 winners. More than 20,000 people entered, exceeding the target established at the beginning of the campaign.
Included in the contest’s application form was a brief questionnaire on back rib products intended to measure Japanese consumers’ basic perceptions . Results showed that one-fifth of the respondents had already tasted U.S. pork back ribs. About one-third of these consumers had prepared back ribs in their home, while two-thirds ordered them at a restaurant.
For consumers preparing back ribs at home, grilling is the most popular method (67 percent), while 20 percent prefer boil-and-grill and 13 percent stew them. One survey result that is certain to generate interest among retailers and suppliers: nearly 16,000 of 20,000 respondents answered “Yes,” when asked if they would purchase ready-to-eat back ribs.
The addition of back ribs contributed to a very strong performance for U.S. pork in Japan in 2010. Through November, U.S. pork exports to Japan (including variety meat) totaled 397,528 metric tons (876.4 million pounds) valued at more than $1.5 billion. This was a 2 percent increase in volume and a 6 percent increase in value over 2009, and marked the first time exports had ever broken the $1.5 billion mark before Dec. 1. With strong December results, the all-time single-year value record for pork exports to Japan ($1.545 billion in 2008) is within reach.
Included in the contest’s application form was a brief questionnaire on back rib products intended to measure Japanese consumers’ basic perceptions . Results showed that one-fifth of the respondents had already tasted U.S. pork back ribs. About one-third of these consumers had prepared back ribs in their home, while two-thirds ordered them at a restaurant.
For consumers preparing back ribs at home, grilling is the most popular method (67 percent), while 20 percent prefer boil-and-grill and 13 percent stew them. One survey result that is certain to generate interest among retailers and suppliers: nearly 16,000 of 20,000 respondents answered “Yes,” when asked if they would purchase ready-to-eat back ribs.
The addition of back ribs contributed to a very strong performance for U.S. pork in Japan in 2010. Through November, U.S. pork exports to Japan (including variety meat) totaled 397,528 metric tons (876.4 million pounds) valued at more than $1.5 billion. This was a 2 percent increase in volume and a 6 percent increase in value over 2009, and marked the first time exports had ever broken the $1.5 billion mark before Dec. 1. With strong December results, the all-time single-year value record for pork exports to Japan ($1.545 billion in 2008) is within reach.