June 8, 2007

US pork takes 30 percent in Japanese market 

US pork products in Japan has roughly taken 30 percent of the Japanese market as the US Meat Export Federation (MEF) are "defending its position" from its largest export market from the increasing interest of Canadian and Danish pork, the MEF said.

Japan, by far, is the US' biggest market by tonnage which was worth US$1 billion last year, more than twice the value of the number-two Mexican market and 36 percent of the total value of exports worldwide.

Greg Hanes, MEF director for Japan says Canada and Denmark are gradually seizing the competition with its growing exports to the Japanese market.

MEF has already launched several strategies to counter competition such as a cookbook using US pork promoting 30 new recipes daily for a month.  He noted that the recipes were created by famous cooking instructor Makiko Fujino using five cuts-tenderloin, centre loin, CT butt, single-ribbed belly and spare rib-the attributes and cooking benefits for which are explained in an easy-to-understand way.

The recipes posted on MEF's Japanese web site are receiving more than 2,500 hits per day and is used in newspaper advertisements and on menu cards in retail stores, he said.

Another strategy, according to Hanes, is promoting the use of US pork in popular Japanese dishes, e.g., curry rice that is normally prepared with beef. This has been coordinated with House Foods, one of the largest curry manufacturers in Japan, which has "helped validate this new recipe as being 'truly Japanese' among consumers," he added.

Promoting grilled meat sauces in replacement of beef with pork is another tactic, says Hanes. The sauce packs are included in retail trays and are being promoted in more than 2,000 stores, including major supermarkets.

MEF also has participated in several high-profile events such as the Japan Meat Industry Showcase and Indy 300 race, where MEF has provided samples of US pork, including precooked bacon and sausage, Hanes said, reporting that more than 80,000 people turned out for the three-day racing event.

Another major promoting tactic is MEF's hosting of cooking schools at which popular television chef personalities demonstrate how to prepare popular pork dishes using US pork. The show is also sponsoring a retail sweepstakes this summer conducted at 2,700 outlets at which shoppers purchasing US pork can enter drawings to win prizes.