U.S. Beef Showcased at Inaugural “Taste of America” in Beirut
U.S. Beef Showcased at Inaugural “Taste of America” in Beirut
U.S. beef was featured prominently at the first annual “Taste of America” food exhibition held March 13-14 in Beirut, Lebanon. The event was organized by the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon with the support of the American-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce. USMEF’s participation was made possible by support from the Beef Checkoff Program.
Along with a wide range of American food displays, Taste of America also featured kitchen and restaurant equipment and a series of seminars focusing on food safety, quality assurance and other food-related topics.
At the USMEF booth, a guest chef from Beirut’s five-star Phoenicia InterContinental Hotel conducted three consecutive days of cutting, grilling and tasting demonstrations featuring high-quality U.S. beef cuts and versatile processed beef items. More than 5,000 visitors enjoyed freshly grilled U.S. beef samples, with many commenting on its distinct taste and tenderness. Each guest received promotional information explaining the attributes of U.S. beef.
Michele Sison, U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, samples U.S. beef with USMEF representatives Simon Bakht (far left) and Lina Kanaan (far right). Selim Al Za'eni (second from left) is president of the American-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce
Honored guests included Michele Sison, U.S. ambassador to Lebanon. Ms. Sison helped launch the exhibition and appeared on local and international television networks enjoying samples of U.S. beef. While speaking with the media, she expressed her desire to see stronger business ties between the United States and Lebanon and for more U.S. products to be utilized by Lebanon’s thriving tourism and restaurant sectors.
Nada Sardouk, director of Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism, joined Ambassador Sison for the event’s ribbon cutting. Accompanied by Selim Al Za’enni, president of the American-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Sardouk toured the exhibition on both days. Cynthia Iglesias Guven, senior agricultural attache with the regional Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) office in Cairo, also participated in the event. She provided a presentation on current USDA activities and services in the region. Senior officials of the Lebanese government were also present and expressed strong interest in promoting trade between Lebanon and the United States.
Taste of America received very positive media coverage, with five television networks present along with several magazines from Lebanon and the surrounding region. The Middle East is a rapidly growing market for U.S. beef, with beef/beef variety meat exports totaling 99,000 metric tons (about 218 million pounds) valued at $148 million in 2009. Always a mainstay market for variety meat, the region has shown a growing appetite for high-quality muscle cuts. Muscle cut exports to the Middle East more than doubled in volume last year, reaching a value of nearly $74 million.
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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.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
U.S. Beef Showcased at Inaugural “Taste of America” in Beirut
U.S. beef was featured prominently at the first annual “Taste of America” food exhibition held March 13-14 in Beirut, Lebanon. The event was organized by the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon with the support of the American-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce. USMEF’s participation was made possible by support from the Beef Checkoff Program.
Along with a wide range of American food displays, Taste of America also featured kitchen and restaurant equipment and a series of seminars focusing on food safety, quality assurance and other food-related topics.
At the USMEF booth, a guest chef from Beirut’s five-star Phoenicia InterContinental Hotel conducted three consecutive days of cutting, grilling and tasting demonstrations featuring high-quality U.S. beef cuts and versatile processed beef items. More than 5,000 visitors enjoyed freshly grilled U.S. beef samples, with many commenting on its distinct taste and tenderness. Each guest received promotional information explaining the attributes of U.S. beef.
Michele Sison, U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, samples U.S. beef with USMEF representatives Simon Bakht (far left) and Lina Kanaan (far right). Selim Al Za'eni (second from left) is president of the American-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce
Honored guests included Michele Sison, U.S. ambassador to Lebanon. Ms. Sison helped launch the exhibition and appeared on local and international television networks enjoying samples of U.S. beef. While speaking with the media, she expressed her desire to see stronger business ties between the United States and Lebanon and for more U.S. products to be utilized by Lebanon’s thriving tourism and restaurant sectors.
Nada Sardouk, director of Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism, joined Ambassador Sison for the event’s ribbon cutting. Accompanied by Selim Al Za’enni, president of the American-Lebanese Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Sardouk toured the exhibition on both days. Cynthia Iglesias Guven, senior agricultural attache with the regional Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) office in Cairo, also participated in the event. She provided a presentation on current USDA activities and services in the region. Senior officials of the Lebanese government were also present and expressed strong interest in promoting trade between Lebanon and the United States.
Taste of America received very positive media coverage, with five television networks present along with several magazines from Lebanon and the surrounding region. The Middle East is a rapidly growing market for U.S. beef, with beef/beef variety meat exports totaling 99,000 metric tons (about 218 million pounds) valued at $148 million in 2009. Always a mainstay market for variety meat, the region has shown a growing appetite for high-quality muscle cuts. Muscle cut exports to the Middle East more than doubled in volume last year, reaching a value of nearly $74 million.
###
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.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.