Nebraska Beef Council Partners With USMEF for Short Rib Promotion in Korea

U.S. beef exports continue to gain ground in South Korea, with beef short ribs being one of the most favored cuts for Korean cuisine. The market is fiercely competitive, however, and Korean consumers are in search of high-quality items that deliver excellent value. Thanks to the teamwork of USMEF and the Nebraska Beef Council, U.S. short ribs are now on prominent display in Korea’s Lotte (pron: LOW-TAY) Mart stores.

With the support of funding provided by the Nebraska Beef Council through the Beef Checkoff Program, beef short ribs are being offered at Lotte Mart stores in a special promotion through the end of March. Tasting events are being held in 18 of Lotte Mart’s 63 locations, with advertising placements in Korea’s daily newspapers and commuter tabloids.

According to Nebraska Beef Council Chairman Dave Hamilton, beef short ribs are a popular delicacy in Korea, where they can command a significant premium compared to the domestic market. Therefore, exporting short ribs can have a very positive impact on the value to U.S. cattle.

Audio Clip #1   :27        Outcue:            (…in that effort.)

Hamilton, a rancher from Thedford, Neb., who also chairs the beef industry’s Joint International Markets Committee and serves on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee, added that cattle producers are placing greater emphasis on export markets these days in an effort to restore profitability to all sectors of the beef industry.

Audio Clip #2   :20        Outcue:            (…value to every animal.)

Though it was open to U.S. beef for only the second half of the year, Korea was still the fourth-largest beef export market in 2008. Despite a sluggish economy and protests over U.S.-Korea trade issues, Korea imported $294.4 million in U.S. beef last year.

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