Audio: Product Showcase Highlights USMEF Board of Directors Meeting
Published: May 29, 2012
One of the highlights of last week’s USMEF Board of Directors Meeting in New Orleans was a product showcase in which USMEF member companies exhibited beef, pork and lamb items for more than 100 meat buyers representing 12 international markets.
USMEF Chair-elect Steve Isaf, president of Atlanta-based exporter Interra International, says the product showcase gave exporters a unique opportunity to conduct business with customers from all parts of the world in a single venue.
Many of the buyers attending the showcase were part of regional trade teams hosted by USMEF for an extensive look at U.S. meat production, processing and merchandising practices. One of those teams was from the China/Hong Kong region, coordinated by Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific. Haggard adds his thoughts on the importance of these trade team visits.
TRANSCRIPT:
Joe Schuele: This is Joe Schuele with the U.S. Meat Export Federation Report. One of the highlights of last week’s USMEF’s Board of Director’s meeting in New Orleans, was a product show case, in which USMEF member companies exhibited beef, pork, and lamb items for more than 100 meat buyers representing 12 international markets. USMEF Chair-Elect, Steve Isaf, President of Atlanta based exporter, Interra International, says the product show case gave exporters a unique business opportunity.
Steve Isaf: The product show case gives us an opportunity to see customers, actually, from all parts of the world at one time and one place which is very unusual. So, it’s a very cost efficient way to meet your clients, some current, and some that are new prospects for us. To have them come from all corners of the world to one location where you can meet them over a three or four hour period, it was really a fantastic event. We had a very strong representation in all sort-of categories; we had processing customers, we had wholesaling customers, retail customers, so that was an excellent spread of customers.
Joe Schuele: Many of the buyers were part of regional trade teams, hosted by USMEF for an extensive look of U.S. meat production. One of those teams was from the China-Hong Kong region, coordinated by Joel Haggard, USMEF Senior Vice President for the Asia/Pacific.
Joel Haggard: We brought over eight individuals, two were from China and six were from Hong Kong. Mostly importers/distributers, but we had two chefs on the trip. Mostly restaurant operators actually, a chef and a purchasing manager, which represents the key team of this one large restaurant chain. Most of these people had not visited the United States before, they weren’t familiar with the, they were familiar with the fork, but they were not familiar with the farm through the processor stage. So, we really focused on looking first at the processing plants, then we showed them some food service concepts, most importantly, they saw a lot of different items that currently are not in that market place. We think that’s really key, because sometimes they just have to see what’s available and then they can get ideas about expanding their usage of red meats, beef and pork.
Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit usmef.org
USMEF Chair-elect Steve Isaf, president of Atlanta-based exporter Interra International, says the product showcase gave exporters a unique opportunity to conduct business with customers from all parts of the world in a single venue.
Many of the buyers attending the showcase were part of regional trade teams hosted by USMEF for an extensive look at U.S. meat production, processing and merchandising practices. One of those teams was from the China/Hong Kong region, coordinated by Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific. Haggard adds his thoughts on the importance of these trade team visits.
TRANSCRIPT:
Joe Schuele: This is Joe Schuele with the U.S. Meat Export Federation Report. One of the highlights of last week’s USMEF’s Board of Director’s meeting in New Orleans, was a product show case, in which USMEF member companies exhibited beef, pork, and lamb items for more than 100 meat buyers representing 12 international markets. USMEF Chair-Elect, Steve Isaf, President of Atlanta based exporter, Interra International, says the product show case gave exporters a unique business opportunity.
Steve Isaf: The product show case gives us an opportunity to see customers, actually, from all parts of the world at one time and one place which is very unusual. So, it’s a very cost efficient way to meet your clients, some current, and some that are new prospects for us. To have them come from all corners of the world to one location where you can meet them over a three or four hour period, it was really a fantastic event. We had a very strong representation in all sort-of categories; we had processing customers, we had wholesaling customers, retail customers, so that was an excellent spread of customers.
Joe Schuele: Many of the buyers were part of regional trade teams, hosted by USMEF for an extensive look of U.S. meat production. One of those teams was from the China-Hong Kong region, coordinated by Joel Haggard, USMEF Senior Vice President for the Asia/Pacific.
Joel Haggard: We brought over eight individuals, two were from China and six were from Hong Kong. Mostly importers/distributers, but we had two chefs on the trip. Mostly restaurant operators actually, a chef and a purchasing manager, which represents the key team of this one large restaurant chain. Most of these people had not visited the United States before, they weren’t familiar with the, they were familiar with the fork, but they were not familiar with the farm through the processor stage. So, we really focused on looking first at the processing plants, then we showed them some food service concepts, most importantly, they saw a lot of different items that currently are not in that market place. We think that’s really key, because sometimes they just have to see what’s available and then they can get ideas about expanding their usage of red meats, beef and pork.
Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit usmef.org