“Pepes” and Supermarket Meat Personnel Work to Make U.S. Meat Cases Ideal...

“Pepes” and Supermarket Meat Personnel Work to Make U.S. Meat Cases Ideal

USMEF is launching a new pilot initiative in 200 supermarkets across the nation that has the potential to redefine USMEF’s commercial relationships with Mexico’s leading supermarket chains.

“The Ideal Meat Case Initiative will clearly identify U.S. beef and pork at retail meat cases, properly maintain the U.S. meat section and inspire more frequent communication (recipes, products sampling and literature) with consumers at the point of sale throughout the year,” said USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell,

“This will increase consumer loyalty and sales and make USMEF advertising more effective because consumers will be better able to find and identify beef and pork from the United States.”

The USMEF Ideal Meat Case initiative is running in selected supermarkets from June through December, 2008. In most retail stores in Mexico, meat cases are divided into chicken, beef and pork sections, allowing U.S. beef and pork products to be readily identified as from the United States only during USMEF promotions. Consumers are thus forced to sort through beef and pork of various origins. The Ideal Meat Case will clearly differentiate U.S. beef and pork products in the meat cases, build buyer loyalty and increase sales.

USMEF is developing the program in 200 supermarkets across five retail chains — Wal-Mart, Soriana, Chedraui, Casa Ley, and Comercial Mexicana. The initiative is being concentrated in five cities: Monterrey, Guadalajara, Queretaro, Culiacan and Mexico City.

USMEF is bolstering the Ideal Meat Case Initiative with the Pepes Tour and the Vitrineras Contest.

A USMEF “Pepe” explains U.S. meat products to consumers; an Ideal Meat Case

The “Pepes” are meat experts who inform consumers about U.S. meat recipes, cooking tips and nutritional information while pointing out features of the Ideal Meat Cases. They travel from supermarket to supermarket and tell customers about U.S. beef and pork at the points of sale.  There will be two Pepes in Monterrey, two in Guadalajara, two in Queretaro, one in Culiacan and four in Mexico City.

Recognizing that the meat cases won’t be ideal without the cheerful cooperation of the supermarket staff, USMEF is conducting a Vitrineras Contest, part of a program to train meat department personnel to organize the product in the Ideal Meat Cases and reward them for their efforts. The contest awards prizes for each retail chain’s best Vitrinera — meat case — motivating personnel to know and impart to customers information about U.S. beef and pork products, and to maintain Ideal U.S. Meat Cases in tiptop condition.

Mexico is currently the largest international market for U.S. beef and beef variety meat. The United States exported 130,065 metric tons (286.7 million pounds) valued at $439 million to Mexico in the first four months of 2008.

Mexico is the second-largest international market for U.S. pork and pork variety meat. The United States exported 103,682 metric tons (228.6 million pounds), valued at $163 million from January through April, 2008.

“Pepes” and Supermarket Meat Personnel Work to Make U.S. Meat Cases Ideal

USMEF is launching a new pilot initiative in 200 supermarkets across the nation that has the potential to redefine USMEF’s commercial relationships with Mexico’s leading supermarket chains.

“The Ideal Meat Case Initiative will clearly identify U.S. beef and pork at retail meat cases, properly maintain the U.S. meat section and inspire more frequent communication (recipes, products sampling and literature) with consumers at the point of sale throughout the year,” said USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell,

“This will increase consumer loyalty and sales and make USMEF advertising more effective because consumers will be better able to find and identify beef and pork from the United States.”

The USMEF Ideal Meat Case initiative is running in selected supermarkets from June through December, 2008. In most retail stores in Mexico, meat cases are divided into chicken, beef and pork sections, allowing U.S. beef and pork products to be readily identified as from the United States only during USMEF promotions. Consumers are thus forced to sort through beef and pork of various origins. The Ideal Meat Case will clearly differentiate U.S. beef and pork products in the meat cases, build buyer loyalty and increase sales.

USMEF is developing the program in 200 supermarkets across five retail chains — Wal-Mart, Soriana, Chedraui, Casa Ley, and Comercial Mexicana. The initiative is being concentrated in five cities: Monterrey, Guadalajara, Queretaro, Culiacan and Mexico City.

USMEF is bolstering the Ideal Meat Case Initiative with the Pepes Tour and the Vitrineras Contest.

A USMEF “Pepe” explains U.S. meat products to consumers; an Ideal Meat Case

The “Pepes” are meat experts who inform consumers about U.S. meat recipes, cooking tips and nutritional information while pointing out features of the Ideal Meat Cases. They travel from supermarket to supermarket and tell customers about U.S. beef and pork at the points of sale.  There will be two Pepes in Monterrey, two in Guadalajara, two in Queretaro, one in Culiacan and four in Mexico City.

Recognizing that the meat cases won’t be ideal without the cheerful cooperation of the supermarket staff, USMEF is conducting a Vitrineras Contest, part of a program to train meat department personnel to organize the product in the Ideal Meat Cases and reward them for their efforts. The contest awards prizes for each retail chain’s best Vitrinera — meat case — motivating personnel to know and impart to customers information about U.S. beef and pork products, and to maintain Ideal U.S. Meat Cases in tiptop condition.

Mexico is currently the largest international market for U.S. beef and beef variety meat. The United States exported 130,065 metric tons (286.7 million pounds) valued at $439 million to Mexico in the first four months of 2008.

Mexico is the second-largest international market for U.S. pork and pork variety meat. The United States exported 103,682 metric tons (228.6 million pounds), valued at $163 million from January through April, 2008.