USMEF Showcases U.S. Pork, Beef at Dominican Republic Exhibition
USMEF Showcases U.S. Pork, Beef at Dominican Republic Exhibition
U.S. pork and beef were well-received recently at the 23rd edition of the ASONAHORES (Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Dominican Republic) trade show at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel and Casino in Santo Domingo. With support from the beef and pork checkoff programs, USMEF was one of 70 exhibitors at the trade show, which attracted restaurant owners, food and beverage managers, chefs and other hotel and restaurant personnel from the Dominican Republic.
“Our objectives for this event were to inform attendees about USMEF programs and activities and to educate them about marbling and other attributes of U.S. pork and beef,” said Chad Russell, USMEF regional director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic. “We also expanded our hotel and restaurant database and contact list in this region, which can help us lay the groundwork for additional promotions.”
Through July 2009, U.S. pork plus pork variety meat exports to the Dominican Republic are nearly double the full-year 2007 total and nearly five times the 2004 total.
At the trade show, USMEF organized two-minute talks with potential customers of U.S. pork and beef. A USMEF representative delivered the presentation to small groups of five to 10 people, covering topics such as marbling, nutrition, quality control and inspection processes for U.S. red meat. Printed materials were also distributed.
“I would say attendance at ASONAHORES was down a bit from years past, but those participating were truly the top decision-makers for their companies,” Russell said. “USMEF’s presence here is an important step in developing the local industry contacts we need in order to cultivate mutually beneficial commercial relationships.”
The Dominican Republic has shown increasing strength as a destination for U.S. meat exports in recent years – especially for U.S. pork. From January through July of this year, pork plus pork variety meat exports totaled nearly 11,000 metric tons (24.25 million pounds) – an increase of 43 percent over the same period last year. In just the first seven months of 2009, pork exports have already nearly doubled the year-end total of 2007 and reached almost five times the volume achieved in all of 2004. The volume of U.S. beef plus beef variety meat exports is also on the rise, totaling 1,666 metric tons (3.67 million pounds) through July. This is an increase of about 3 percent over January-July 2008.
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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.
USMEF Showcases U.S. Pork, Beef at Dominican Republic Exhibition
U.S. pork and beef were well-received recently at the 23rd edition of the ASONAHORES (Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Dominican Republic) trade show at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel and Casino in Santo Domingo. With support from the beef and pork checkoff programs, USMEF was one of 70 exhibitors at the trade show, which attracted restaurant owners, food and beverage managers, chefs and other hotel and restaurant personnel from the Dominican Republic.
“Our objectives for this event were to inform attendees about USMEF programs and activities and to educate them about marbling and other attributes of U.S. pork and beef,” said Chad Russell, USMEF regional director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic. “We also expanded our hotel and restaurant database and contact list in this region, which can help us lay the groundwork for additional promotions.”
Through July 2009, U.S. pork plus pork variety meat exports to the Dominican Republic are nearly double the full-year 2007 total and nearly five times the 2004 total.
At the trade show, USMEF organized two-minute talks with potential customers of U.S. pork and beef. A USMEF representative delivered the presentation to small groups of five to 10 people, covering topics such as marbling, nutrition, quality control and inspection processes for U.S. red meat. Printed materials were also distributed.
“I would say attendance at ASONAHORES was down a bit from years past, but those participating were truly the top decision-makers for their companies,” Russell said. “USMEF’s presence here is an important step in developing the local industry contacts we need in order to cultivate mutually beneficial commercial relationships.”
The Dominican Republic has shown increasing strength as a destination for U.S. meat exports in recent years – especially for U.S. pork. From January through July of this year, pork plus pork variety meat exports totaled nearly 11,000 metric tons (24.25 million pounds) – an increase of 43 percent over the same period last year. In just the first seven months of 2009, pork exports have already nearly doubled the year-end total of 2007 and reached almost five times the volume achieved in all of 2004. The volume of U.S. beef plus beef variety meat exports is also on the rise, totaling 1,666 metric tons (3.67 million pounds) through July. This is an increase of about 3 percent over January-July 2008.
# # #
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.