With an eye to the future in a region where Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Bahrain ha...
With an eye to the future in a region where Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Bahrain have already lifted their bans on imports of U.S. beef and negotiations continue to lift the rest, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) showcased U.S. beef in Dubai at the biennial Gulfood Show, the largest food and hospitality trade show in the Middle East and North Africa.
Bans imposed since December 2003 on the basis of a single, Canadian-born dairy cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) do not stop USMEF from promoting U.S. beef and assuring consumers and industry buyers alike that U.S. beef products are safe, nutritious and delicious.
The four-day event attracted 2,000 participating companies from 53 countries and a record 23,500 visitors from 126 countries. It was an ideal place for USMEF to meet potential buyers, develop new relationships and supply information on the safety and quality of U.S. beef.
“The Gulfood Show was an ideal opportunity to establish valuable contacts with meat buyers and show them firsthand the great attributes of U.S. beef,” said Christiane Asmar, a USMEF representative. “We gave buyers information they were looking for and answered their questions on the spot.”
Jackie Hruby, USMEF director, Europe, Russia and the Middle East, and Asmar discussed U.S. beef prospects with more than 40 meat buyers from the Persian Gulf states, Syria, Jordan, Libya, Morocco and Iraq.
With the aid of USMEF’s International Beef Manual and charts of foodservice cuts displayed at the USMEF booth, Hruby and Asmar pointed out specific cuts buyers from the region are most looking to buy.
This major trade show drew importers, distributors, wholesalers, caterers and hotel/retail representatives — some wanting to start importing U.S. beef, others interested in expanding the cuts they currently buy — to the USMEF booth.
Those buyers from markets still closed to U.S. beef expressed great interest in resuming U.S. beef imports when the bans are lifted.
The Middle East relies on imports for 90 percent of its food needs. Since five-star hotels in Dubai are expanding at an annual rate of 30 percent, they have a growing need for high quality U.S. beef and an overall focus on purchasing food for quality rather than cost.
The Middle East is a market with great potential for U.S. beef producers since its economic growth and business opportunities are expanding rapidly. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Dubai, a cosmopolitan area in the heart of the region, is a prime location for the Gulfood Show.
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 –