South Korea | U.S. Pork Gaining Popularity With Consumers | More and more, U...

South Korea

U.S. Pork Gaining Popularity With Consumers

More and more, U.S. chilled pork is appearing on dinner tables in South Korea as a result of its high quality, low price and similar taste to domestic pork.

“We forecast more U.S. pork will be imported since U.S. chilled pork belly has similar quality and taste to domestic pork, but is sold at about half the price,” explained USMEF Korea Director Jihae Yang.

U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports to South Korea in the first six months of this year increased 52 percent in volume to 54,188 metric tons and 31 percent in value to $109.4 million compared to the same time period last year. USMEF estimates that 95 percent of U.S. pork is supplied to restaurants, but large retailers are expanding U.S. pork in their stores.

The taste of U.S. chilled pork is much better compared to the frozen products occupying most of the imported pork market two years ago.

Retailer Home Plus said the sales ratio of U.S. pork to domestic pork was 15 percent to 85 percent last year, but this year changed to 30 percent to 70 percent. A Home Plus meat buyer said demand for imported pork has gone up due to sharp price increases of domestic pork.

These changes in purchasing habits were recently featured by Korea's leading business newspaper, Maeil Business Newspaper and Korea’s leading news service, Yonhap News Agency.

South Korea

U.S. Pork Gaining Popularity With Consumers

More and more, U.S. chilled pork is appearing on dinner tables in South Korea as a result of its high quality, low price and similar taste to domestic pork.

“We forecast more U.S. pork will be imported since U.S. chilled pork belly has similar quality and taste to domestic pork, but is sold at about half the price,” explained USMEF Korea Director Jihae Yang.

U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports to South Korea in the first six months of this year increased 52 percent in volume to 54,188 metric tons and 31 percent in value to $109.4 million compared to the same time period last year. USMEF estimates that 95 percent of U.S. pork is supplied to restaurants, but large retailers are expanding U.S. pork in their stores.

The taste of U.S. chilled pork is much better compared to the frozen products occupying most of the imported pork market two years ago.

Retailer Home Plus said the sales ratio of U.S. pork to domestic pork was 15 percent to 85 percent last year, but this year changed to 30 percent to 70 percent. A Home Plus meat buyer said demand for imported pork has gone up due to sharp price increases of domestic pork.

These changes in purchasing habits were recently featured by Korea's leading business newspaper, Maeil Business Newspaper and Korea’s leading news service, Yonhap News Agency.