Seminars Promote Underutilized U.S. Beef Cuts to Taiwanese Buyers

Seminars Promote Underutilized U.S. Beef Cuts to Taiwanese Buyers

USMEF Taiwan hosted two U.S. beef seminars in June for importers from central and northern Taiwan on U.S. products and how to market them.  Support for the programs was provided by funds from the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP) and the Beef Checkoff.

Since Taiwan produces little beef  — imports have a 96 percent share of the market — the seminars began with an overview of global supply and demand by USMEF Economist Erin Daley, who was on hand in Taipei to provide market analysis and statistics. She emphasized how U.S. beef cuts could satisfy specific market needs, and suggested alternatives such as underutilized U.S. beef cuts that could fill culinary niches and increase profit margins. Daly added that seasonal price trends for U.S. beef cuts were important for buyers since different cuts offer opportunities at certain times of the year. For U.S. producers, exports create off-season demand for specific cuts and help to minimize seasonal price declines. For example, USMEF promotes loin cuts in Taiwan in the second half of the year, when demand is down in the U.S. after the grilling season.

“Taiwan imported record volumes of U.S. beef since the market reopened in 2006, accounting for 29 percent of Taiwan’s imports in 2008 compared to just 22 percent in 2003, ” said Daley. “Through April 2009, U.S. beef exports to Taiwan were 18.5 percent lower than last year but weekly export data suggest that volumes have been exceeding year-ago levels since May.  Thus, 2009 could mark the fourth consecutive year of record-breaking U.S. beef exports to Taiwan.”

Taiwanese buyers learn about seasonal opportunities from USMEF Economist Erin Daley

Consumer behavior has changed due to the global financial crisis, and the seminars covered changing trends and the tactics needed to increase sales as well as providing new product information. The emphasis was on value rather than price. U.S. beef is the highest priced in the market, and USMEF’s mission is to educate buyers how the value of U.S. beef for the price makes it the right choice. U.S. beef’s quality, safety and taste are key selling points to convince consumers that U.S. beef provides value for the money.

The 120 attendees were carefully selected from the 51 beef importers, chain restaurants and retailers who buy 85 percent of Taiwan’s beef imports.

The seminars were enthusiastically received.

“The statistics provided by Erin were invaluable,” said Samuel Huang a seminar attendee from leading U.S. beef importer Shu-Shen Co., “and I hope to see more U.S. beef market information in the future.”

“Erin’s information piqued my interest in new U.S. beef products,” commented Grace Wang of the Wang Group, a company which owns 103 Chinese and Taiwanese supermarkets.

# # #

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.

Seminars Promote Underutilized U.S. Beef Cuts to Taiwanese Buyers

USMEF Taiwan hosted two U.S. beef seminars in June for importers from central and northern Taiwan on U.S. products and how to market them.  Support for the programs was provided by funds from the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP) and the Beef Checkoff.

Since Taiwan produces little beef  — imports have a 96 percent share of the market — the seminars began with an overview of global supply and demand by USMEF Economist Erin Daley, who was on hand in Taipei to provide market analysis and statistics. She emphasized how U.S. beef cuts could satisfy specific market needs, and suggested alternatives such as underutilized U.S. beef cuts that could fill culinary niches and increase profit margins. Daly added that seasonal price trends for U.S. beef cuts were important for buyers since different cuts offer opportunities at certain times of the year. For U.S. producers, exports create off-season demand for specific cuts and help to minimize seasonal price declines. For example, USMEF promotes loin cuts in Taiwan in the second half of the year, when demand is down in the U.S. after the grilling season.

“Taiwan imported record volumes of U.S. beef since the market reopened in 2006, accounting for 29 percent of Taiwan’s imports in 2008 compared to just 22 percent in 2003, ” said Daley. “Through April 2009, U.S. beef exports to Taiwan were 18.5 percent lower than last year but weekly export data suggest that volumes have been exceeding year-ago levels since May.  Thus, 2009 could mark the fourth consecutive year of record-breaking U.S. beef exports to Taiwan.”

Taiwanese buyers learn about seasonal opportunities from USMEF Economist Erin Daley

Consumer behavior has changed due to the global financial crisis, and the seminars covered changing trends and the tactics needed to increase sales as well as providing new product information. The emphasis was on value rather than price. U.S. beef is the highest priced in the market, and USMEF’s mission is to educate buyers how the value of U.S. beef for the price makes it the right choice. U.S. beef’s quality, safety and taste are key selling points to convince consumers that U.S. beef provides value for the money.

The 120 attendees were carefully selected from the 51 beef importers, chain restaurants and retailers who buy 85 percent of Taiwan’s beef imports.

The seminars were enthusiastically received.

“The statistics provided by Erin were invaluable,” said Samuel Huang a seminar attendee from leading U.S. beef importer Shu-Shen Co., “and I hope to see more U.S. beef market information in the future.”

“Erin’s information piqued my interest in new U.S. beef products,” commented Grace Wang of the Wang Group, a company which owns 103 Chinese and Taiwanese supermarkets.

# # #

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.