Korea, South

USMEF Promotes Beef and Pork in Home Meal Replacements Kits Around the Globe

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:20:54 GMT

Putting a fresh, delicious, healthy meal on the table relatively quickly has become increasingly easier with home meal replacements kits — and the global market is seeing greater demand for these meal options. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) marketing staff from around the globe recently met in Korea to learn more about the opportunity home meal replacements kits provide for U.S. beef and pork producers.

“One of the largest drivers of red meat consumption globally has been the convenience factor,” says Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO. “When I say convenience, I’m talking about home meal replacement, I’m talking about restaurant meal replacement – prepared meal kits, this sort of thing. There’s a real demand and there’s no bigger demand than what we’ve seen in Korea.”

Jihae Yang, USMEF vice president of Asia Pacific, confirms the growth of home meal replacements kits in Korea has been driven by consumer demand for convenience.

“In terms of freshness of diversified recipes, it’s developed in the way that the Korean consumer wants,” Yang explains.

USMEF’s goal with this meeting was to give international staff ideas to develop products that fit the customers in their own markets.

Through support from USDA, the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Pork Board, USMEF promotes the use of U.S. beef and pork in home meal replacements kits in Korea and other markets where these products are gaining popularity.

“We’re in a situation, especially on the beef side, where there’s reduced production,” Halstrom adds. “This is an opportunity to add value to the supply chain, even though we have less production, and I think that’s one of the exciting things. One of our jobs at USMEF is to show options, show alternatives, for the marketplace.”

Record-Breaking Year for Red Meat Exports Spurred on by Trade Agreements

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 19:58:23 GMT

U.S. red meat exports in 2021 were valued at $18.7 billion, the highest in history. Multiple trade agreements aided in reaching those unprecedented levels. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Economist Erin Borror weighed in on the recent report during the Weekly USMEF Audio Report.

BEEF

The reduction of tariff rates from 40% to 10.7% in the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) boosted U.S. beef exports in 2021. Korea’s consumption per capita increased 40% compared to 2012, Borror said.

The largest tonnage of growth for U.S. beef demand spurred from the U.S. and China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement. This increased competition resulted in an elevated value of the product.

The U.S-Japan Trade Agreement, though tariffs remain relatively high, also helped level the market playing field for U.S. beef.

In addition, beef exports saw tremendous growth into duty-free free trade agreement (FTA) partners such as Central America, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru and Chile.

PORK

“Duty-free access into these Western Hemisphere markets was really critical in moving such a huge increase in volume at higher prices,” Borror said.

U.S. pork saw another record year of exports to Mexico, capitalizing on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s duty-free access.

Central America, specifically Colombia, rebounded in pork export demand, resulting in a 41% increase, despite pork cuts’ increased prices.

The U.S. rose as the top supplier for chilled pork in Korea and has further growth potential as tariffs have been eliminated, she added.

As seen in beef, the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement boosted the position of U.S. pork in the highly competitive market. This agreement has also been essential in lowering tariffs of pork, formerly steady at 20% and set to decline to zero by 2025.