07-02-12 Weekly USMEF Audio Report: Effort to Build Pork Demand in Mexico Gains Major Retail Partners...

CLICK HERE to listen to the report

July 2nd, 2012 - Growing U.S. pork exports is not always a matter of displacing the competition, but rather growing overall demand. For example, the U.S. pork industry holds more than 90 percent of the imported pork market in Mexico, accounting for nearly one-third of total pork consumption. But per capita pork consumption in Mexico is only 24 pounds per year, compared to about 46 pounds in the United States.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has launched a campaign to build overall pork demand in Mexico using qualitative research, consumer education and carefully targeted retail promotions. Through support from the Pork Checkoff and the USDA Market Access Program, this campaign is designed to enhance the image of pork and broaden its appeal as an affordable, nutritious entrée.

Chad Russell, USMEF regional director for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic (CLICK TO LISTEN, explains that USMEF recently reached agreements with several major supermarket chains in Mexico – totaling more than 500 outlets – to not only help USMEF promote pork through advertising and point-of-sale materials, but also by collecting important sales data to help evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign and develop further promotional strategies.

Through April, Mexico is this year’s leading volume market for U.S. pork and pork variety meat at more than 456 million pounds – an increase of 19 percent over last year’s pace. Export value is up 18 percent, ranking second only to Japan at $377.4 million.

Submitted to the BARN by:

Joe Schuele, USMEF, Communications Director @ 303-226-7309

jschuele@usmef.org OR www.usmef.org

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry. It is funded by USDA; the beef, pork, lamb, corn and soybean checkoff programs, as well as its members representing nine industry sectors: beef/veal producing & feeding, pork producing & feeding, lamb producing & feeding, packing & processing, purveying & trading, oilseeds producing, feedgrains producing, farm organizations and supply & service organizations.

USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.