U.S. beef producers Tom and Cindy Beechinor recently traveled to Japan to pu...

U.S. beef producers Tom and Cindy Beechinor recently traveled to Japan to put a face to U.S. beef products, allowing consumers to connect the food they eat to those who produce it.

The Beechinors gave out U.S. beef samples and talked with consumers at the Kansai Radio Festival, an event sponsored by their state organization, the Washington State Beef Commission (WSBC). They also participated in the USMEF booth at a New Orleans-style food and music event in Osaka.

Their efforts were part of the USMEF “We Care” campaign to demonstrate the commitment of U.S. producers and industry to delivering a safe, wholesome and delicious product.

The Kansai Radio Festival in Kobe, the sister city to Seattle, Wash. where WSBC is headquartered, attracted more than 55,000 people.

“Tom and Cindy were very active in passing out U.S. beef samples and meeting with consumers,” said Greg Hanes, USMEF Japan director. “Their participation allows consumers to meet producers that embody the ‘We Care’ nature of the U.S. beef industry.”

More than 1,000 samples of U.S. beef were distributed with positive reactions from Japanese consumers. An informal survey showed more than 50 percent of consumers would “definitely” purchase U.S. beef at retail stores and restaurants.

During the festival, the Beechinors gave a radio interview that aired the next day stressing the “We Care” message and how it relates to their raising of cattle and the efforts of Washington state to ensure the safety of beef sent to Japan.

Two newspaper advertisements, sponsored by WSBC, ran in the Sankei Shimbun prior to the event, reaching 1.8 million consumers. The Kobe Shinbun, a newspaper with a circulation of 562,000, featured a story about the Beechinors and the U.S. industry’s commitment to Japan.

Activities such as these help build trust in the safety of U.S. beef and remind consumers of its quality attributes. All are part of the “We Care” campaign, which also includes newspaper ads, an interactive Web site, a U.S. beef industry virtual tour and media events.

The campaign also contains elements directed to the Japanese retail and foodservice trades to assure buyers that the product is safe and there is consumer demand. The strategy is supported by buyer teams, a “beef caravan” to conduct seminars in Japanese cities, a trade version of the virtual tour, promotions and point-of-sale materials.

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 –

The following photos are available with this release.

Photo 1– Washington state beef producers Tom and Cindy Beechinor hand out samples of U.S. beef to visitors at the Kansai Music Festival in Kobe, Japan.

Photo 2 – Kansai Music Festival visitors waited in long lines to sample U.S. beef, showing a general upward trend in Japanese consumer attitude toward U.S. beef.

Photo 3– More than 1,000 shish kebabs of U.S. beef were distributed during the Kansai Music Festival in Kobe. Favorite beef recipes from Washington State Beef Commission’s Cindy Beechinor, who helped hand out samples, were also distributed.