USB-Funded U.S. Pork Retail Promotion in Mexico Boosts Supermarket Sales

USB-Funded U.S. Pork Retail Promotion in Mexico Boosts Supermarket Sales

A USMEF promotion of U.S. pork in Mexico funded by the United Soybean Board in 30 AlSuper stores in Chihuahua and 23 VH supermarkets in Hermosillo from Aug. 15 to Sept. 30 yielded impressive results. The promotion led to a 36 percent increase in sales of U.S. pork during the promotion at one supermarket (AlSuper) and a 26 percent increase at the other (VH). The product that showed the biggest increase in sales was U.S. pork leg bone-in, which averaged a 54 percent increase for both supermarket chains. AlSuper and VH contributed to the promotion with magazine ads, radio spots and U.S. pork for the samples.

Customers were eligible to take part in a U.S. pork quiz. U.S. pork demonstrators told consumers about U.S. pork products and asked them questions. Correct answers meant the customer won a prize.

USMEF also hired seven dieticians who rotated among the supermarkets and gave U.S. pork nutritional information to supermarket customers. The USMEF dieticians told U.S. pork customers about the benefits of including U.S. pork in a healthy diet, weighed and measured them, measured their fat, muscle, and bone masses and suggested the appropriate weight for their age and measurements.

“This is an example of USMEF efforts to expand the market for U.S. pork to regional supermarket chains,” said USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell, “and to leverage Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations to include pork in traditional meals leading up to September 16.”

Mexico is the third largest export market for U.S. pork and pork variety meats. Exports totaled 237,655 metric tons, valued at $417.3 million in the first eight months of 2008.

USB-Funded U.S. Pork Retail Promotion in Mexico Boosts Supermarket Sales

A USMEF promotion of U.S. pork in Mexico funded by the United Soybean Board in 30 AlSuper stores in Chihuahua and 23 VH supermarkets in Hermosillo from Aug. 15 to Sept. 30 yielded impressive results. The promotion led to a 36 percent increase in sales of U.S. pork during the promotion at one supermarket (AlSuper) and a 26 percent increase at the other (VH). The product that showed the biggest increase in sales was U.S. pork leg bone-in, which averaged a 54 percent increase for both supermarket chains. AlSuper and VH contributed to the promotion with magazine ads, radio spots and U.S. pork for the samples.

Customers were eligible to take part in a U.S. pork quiz. U.S. pork demonstrators told consumers about U.S. pork products and asked them questions. Correct answers meant the customer won a prize.

USMEF also hired seven dieticians who rotated among the supermarkets and gave U.S. pork nutritional information to supermarket customers. The USMEF dieticians told U.S. pork customers about the benefits of including U.S. pork in a healthy diet, weighed and measured them, measured their fat, muscle, and bone masses and suggested the appropriate weight for their age and measurements.

“This is an example of USMEF efforts to expand the market for U.S. pork to regional supermarket chains,” said USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell, “and to leverage Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations to include pork in traditional meals leading up to September 16.”

Mexico is the third largest export market for U.S. pork and pork variety meats. Exports totaled 237,655 metric tons, valued at $417.3 million in the first eight months of 2008.