Seminars in Several Central American Countries Promote Use of U.S. Beef, Pork

Sharing information and presenting technical advice to help importers, distributors, chefs and sales staff promote U.S. beef and pork, USMEF conducted a series of seminars and trainings in Central America. These activities, held in Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala. were funded by the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Pork Board.

Costa Rica The Belca Food Show in San Jose, Costa Rica, attracted more than 1,500 professionals, most of them from Central America’s foodservice sector. USMEF Chef German Navarrete gave a cutting and cooking seminar using U.S. beef and pork. He presented information on various cuts, U.S. red meat production and cold chain management. Navarrete’s demonstration focused special attention on U.S. beef coulotte and U.S. pork tenderloin.

USMEF Chef German Navarrete presents a cutting and cooking seminar featuring U.S. beef and pork during the Belca Food Show in San Juan, Costa Rica

Guatemala USMEF’s Saul Bueso presented a U.S. beef and pork seminar at the Ni Fu Ni Fa Restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala. An educational session for 14 restaurant employees included discussions about production, cold chain management and the quality of U.S. beef and pork.

A seminar for Suministros y Alimentos, a major importer in Guatemala, was attended by 20 employees. Following Bueso's overview of U.S. beef and pork production, Chef Pablo Lou gave a cutting demonstration using U.S. beef tenderloin and U.S. pork tenderloin.

USMEF’s second edition of the "Smoked Barbecue Challenge" was held in Guatemala City. Fifteen teams prepared U.S. beef brisket and short ribs, along with U.S. pork Boston butt and baby back ribs. More than 1,500 attendees tasted a range of barbecue dishes.

Staff at the Ni Fu Ni Fa restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala, pose for a group photo during a U.S. beef and pork seminar conducted by USMEF

A USMEF seminar for Suministros y Alimentos, a foodservice distributor in Guatemala, included cutting demonstrations using U.S. beef and pork

Panama Cutting and cooking seminars for two major importers were held in Panama City. Purchasing agents and marketing staff members for Cocinas Internacionales and Carne San Miguel participated in educational sessions highlighting the quality and taste of U.S. beef and pork.

USMEF Market Access Manager Alejandra Valdez presented a U.S. red meat technical seminar for 40 people from the government and private sector involved in the importing U.S. red meat products into Panama. Valdez addressed frequently asked questions from companies and state entities involving the import process. She also presented key points about the U.S. red meat industry: production, inspection, classification and nomenclature.

The Pretelt Meat Fest in Costa del Este, Panama, included a barbecue competition in which U.S. beef brisket and striploin and U.S. pork back ribs and Boston butt were prepared. Navarrete shared information about U.S. beef and pork to more than 1,700 participants.

El Salvador USMEF conducted a two-day U.S. red meat sales seminar for importers in El Salvador, with the objective of giving them tools to increase sales of U.S. beef and pork.

Held at the Pan-American Business School, the seminar attracted 40 foodservice professionals. Along with sessions on various U.S. beef and pork cuts available in the market, a nutritionist provided information on the role of U.S. beef and pork and in a healthy diet.

Through November 2019, pork and pork variety meat exports to Central America already set a new annual record for both volume (86,794 metric tons, up 16% year-over-year) and value ($211.8 million (up 47%). Beef and beef variety meat exports will also be record-large in 2019, with January-November exports increasing 4% in volume (14,044 metric tons) and 9% in value ($79.9 million).