The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), as a member of the “Taiwan Beef Al...
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), as a member of the “Taiwan Beef Alliance,” announced the second phase of the successful alliance campaign to educate Taiwanese consumers about the many nutritional benefits of beef consumption will begin April 10, 2003.
This multinational alliance, consisting of USMEF, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Meat New Zealand (MNZ) and the Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF), was initiated in early 2002 to work jointly on behalf of the major beef exporting countries to Taiwan. Historically, Taiwanese beef consumption has been relatively low and an opportunity exists there for improvement, according to USMEF Vice President Asia-Pacific Joel Haggard.
“By joining our resources with MLA, CBEF and MNZ, we are able to conduct a larger campaign and grow the market as a whole,” said Haggard. “In this market, we see our competitors as domestic pork, chicken and seafood, rather than other beef-supplying countries.”
Phase II of the Taiwan Beef Alliance campaign will continue to inform Taiwanese consumers about the significant nutritional benefits of a diet rich in beef – such as increased absorbable iron, vitamin B-12, omega-3 oils and high quality protein. Higher levels of absorbable dietary iron have been associated with optimized brain development in children by reducing iron deficiency. This message is a central theme in the campaign as it illustrates beef’s almost unique importance as an essential source of iron.
“Consumer research prior to Phase I indicates ethnic Chinese in Taiwan rated iron and other essential nutrients as important, but they did not link these nutrients to eating beef,” commented Haggard. “Our campaign is addressing this lack of consumer awareness about beef’s nutrition.”
The first phase of the Taiwan Beef Alliance campaign began in April 2002 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second-largest city and a major port in the south. Phase I ran for seven weeks and was delivered primarily through television infomercials with additional newspaper and radio advertisements. The campaign also targeted foodservice outlets, retail stores and wet markets in Kaohsiung. In addition, all member countries continued their individual country promotional programs at the restaurant and retail levels.
Phase I proved effective in raising Taiwanese consumer awareness of the nutritional benefits of beef. Poll results following Phase I showed 62 percent of those recalling the Taiwan Beef Alliance ads were able to cite some nutritional benefit of beef. Specifically, 28 percent of those consumers remembered that beef is a natural source of iron, and 23 percent remembered the iron in beef is easily absorbed.
When Phase II of the Taiwan Beef Alliance campaign commences on April 10, 2003, it will extend to the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. Situated in northern Taiwan, Taipei has the largest foodservice sector on the island in addition to the greatest concentration of western retail stores.
The Phase II campaign will continue the same effective nutritional message for Taiwanese consumers about beef’s nutritional benefits. The media focus will again concentrate on television infomercials for the target audience. Retailers, restaurants, wholesalers and other distributors will also convey the Phase II nutritional theme through point-of-sale materials.
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics for 2002, U.S. exports of beef (including variety meat) to Taiwan increased 42 percent by volume over 2001 levels to 18,612 metric tons (mt). 2002 U.S. beef and beef variety meat exports to Taiwan were valued at $56.2 million, which represented a 22 percent increase over 2001. The U.S. is Taiwan's largest overall trading partner, taking almost 23 percent of Taiwan's exports and supplying 17 percent of Taiwan’s overall imports. Taiwan was the United State’s eighth-largest beef and beef variety meat export market for 2002.
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 --