As people relocate from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to Vietnam, they are br...
As people relocate from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to Vietnam, they are bringing their taste for U.S. meat along with them. And the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is helping food service operators in Vietnam meet an increasing demand for U.S. beef and pork.
Ho Chi Minh City is the economic hub of Vietnam, attracting many investors from Asian countries. The city is rich in wealth and diverse in culture, especially evident in cuisine as residents and tourists alike can find foods ranging from Japanese rice dishes to Texan barbecue.
Sales of U.S. beef are improving due to the opening of more small independent restaurants and the enhanced consumer sophistication of quality goods, according to Eric Choon, USMEF director, ASEAN region.
More than 150 Korean and Japanese restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City feature U.S. beef on their menus. Many of these restaurant owners have attended USMEF culinary seminars to help them successfully incorporate U.S. beef and pork into their establishments.
The most recent seminar was held for chefs and restaurant owners in Ho Chi Minh City at the Hyatt hotel by USMEF in cooperation with KB Co. Ltd. Golden Garden Gourmet Store.
The seminar provided participants with informative meat charts, educational brochures and leaflets about U.S. beef and pork.
Informative videos were shown that focused on the American meat tradition, foodservice operations and new U.S. product cuts. Quality, the U.S. grading system, handling and storage of chilled and frozen meat and general food safety issues also were discussed.
A product demonstration conducted by Sabrina Yin, USMEF regional chef, gave participants an up-close look at the shoulder clod, chuck flap, pork baby back ribs, bacon and pork sausages. In addition to the cutting demonstration, Yin prepared eight recipes that featured the cuts presented.
“The seminar was very informative and I felt as if the participants learned a lot of new things about U.S. meat,” said Choon. “Participants were clearly impressed with the quality of U.S. meat and expressed interest in trying it in their own establishments.”
The Hyatt hotel in Ho Chi Minh City imports U.S. prime beef. U.S. meat products are selling so well, the hotel has expanded their assortment of U.S. beef to include non-loin cuts and also U.S. pork and pork processed meats.
Lang Nuong Dua Hau, a Korean barbecue restaurant, is finding popularity with U.S. boneless short ribs. The owner said he prefers to serve the boneless short ribs from the United States to maintain quality, even though the cost per portion is sometimes higher.
The restaurant owner, who has over 22 years of experience, said the growing number of Koreans and Japanese in Ho Chi Minh City who enjoy Korean barbecue gave him the confidence to start his own business last year. He has been so successful that he plans to open additional restaurants.
In 2005, U.S. beef and beef variety meat to Vietnam reached 4,391 metric tons (mt) valued at $9.8 million while U.S. pork and pork variety meat volume was 99.8 mt valued at $201,026.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation 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, lamb, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.
– USMEF –