The ninth annual U.S. Meat Export Federation-sponsored Butcher Contest contin...
The ninth annual U.S. Meat Export Federation-sponsored Butcher Contest continued the success of an almost decade-long tradition. This annual festival for South Korean butchers, who handle U.S. beef and pork, is designed to inspire them with self-respect as meat professionals and increase awareness of U.S. red meat among Korean retailers.
The theme this year was "making tasty meat," a step in USMEF-Korea’s strategy to encourage Korean consumers to buy U.S. chilled beef and pork through the use of cooking hints for dishes that can be prepared easily and simply.
The Butcher Contest is designed to teach and encourage innovative ways to successfully merchandise U.S. meats as much as to reward stores and store personnel. The contest is always covered by major Korean media, both print and television. The event itself also increases sales by up to 25 percent and demonstrates to retailers the demand for U.S. chilled meat. The contest judges include celebrities who visit the ten finalists to evaluate cooking hints, hygiene, merchandising skill, showcase display, the variety of U.S. chilled meat used by the outlet and other factors.
The contest’s popularity meant that USMEF put limits on the number of participant stores and ensured competitors came from major retail stores and smaller establishments and butcher shops. Major retailer chains Lotte Mart, Samsung Tesco, LG, Hyundai department stores, Lotte department stores, Mega Mart, Gogimaul and LA meat all entered the contest. Winning the contest is regarded as a great honor — every store taking part thanked USMEF for the contest’s portrayal of butchers as 'specialists' since Korean butchers are fighting the traditional low-status perception of their job.
Competitors took part in a one-day workshop at the USMEF Meat Education and Research Center (MERC) on March 20. The preliminary competition was conducted from March 28-April 6 by three judges in each participating store. Ten finalists were selected on April 7 and the final competition was from April 11-20.
On May 1, the best butchers from each store came to the award ceremony at the Marriott Hotel and demonstrated their cutting and merchandising skills after a photo shoot. The final winners were congratulated at a ceremonial dinner by U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Thomas Hubbard.
Lotte Mart was awarded the Grand Prize Winner and is marking the occasion with banners and special leaflets announcing it was the USMEF Butcher Contest Grand Prize Winner throughout its stores.
In 2002, the United States exported 237,982 metric tons (mt) of beef (including variety meat) to South Korea, its third largest market, valued at $648.3 million, and 23,776 mt of pork (including variety meat) valued at $40.9 million.
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, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.
— USMEF —
Photos of the USMEF Korean Butcher Contest are available on the USMEF Web site:
http://www.usmef.org/photoGallery/pics/03_Korea_ButcherContest.jpg
http://www.usmef.org/photoGallery/pics/03_Korea_ButcherContest1.jpg
http://www.usmef.org/photoGallery/pics/03_Korea_ButcherContest_La2.jpg
