USMEF Deepens Ties with Middle East Beef Importer

Leading Middle East beef importer and gourmet retailer Kaylani Food Center is working closely with USMEF to introduce a new generation of customers in Jordan and beyond to high-end U.S. beef products.

Headquartered in Amman, Jordan, since 1991, Kaylani Food Center has developed a reputation for distributing premium, gourmet quality beef products, ranging from Japanese Wagyu to high-end cuts of Brazilian beef. Now that list has expanded to include chilled Angus beef from the United States.

Premium U.S. beef cuts are prominently displayed at The Meat Master

A primary outlet for these top-tier products is The Meat Master Gourmet Meat Store, a Kaylani-owned operation that prides itself on offering its customers hard-to-find fresh meats and imported specialty products.

“The Meat Master targets a diverse clientele that has a passion for marbled, high quality U.S. beef,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president for global marketing and communication. “The addition of chilled U.S. Angus beef is a perfect fit with their commitment to offering only the finest beef. The Meat Master also produces high-quality beef patties on-site from primal cuts such as chucks and briskets.”

Halstrom noted that while the Middle East region has traditionally been a customer for lower-value cuts, specifically variety meat, collaboration with companies like Kaylani Food Center and The Meat Master are helping to change consumer perceptions and raise the visibility of high-quality grain-fed U.S. beef.

USMEF recently worked with The Meat Master and Kaylani to develop a customer education program that combined point-of-purchase education with product sampling that was very positively received. USMEF supported the promotion with a Facebook campaign and social media outreach to maximize its impact. The promotion was developed using funding provided by Nebraska Corn Board.

Despite political turmoil in the region, the Middle East has remained one of the leading destinations for U.S. beef exports. Through the first seven months of 2013, the region has purchased 89,375 metric tons (197 million pounds) of U.S. beef valued at $167.7 million, making it the fourth-largest market by volume and sixth by value.