December 27, 2013

Several hundred leaders of Macau's food service and game industry gathered last week to sample expertly prepared US beef at The US Meat Export Federation's Second Annual Great American Barbecue - Nebraska in Macau.

One of the special administrative regions of China, Macau has a small population of just over 500,000 that pales in comparison to its visitor load, expected to reach 30 million this year. But, as the world's gambling hub with 2013 revenue exceeding US$40 billion - dwarfing US gambling revenue - it is a magnet for high rollers who love a good meal at any price.

Funded by the Nebraska Beef Council, The Great American Barbecue - Nebraska in Macau was the second annual Nebraska beef barbecue event in the territory, and with approximately 200 attendees it topped last year's inaugural event by more than a third, providing testimony to the growing interest in beef from Nebraska and the US.

"Macau is a vacation destination - the only legalised gaming spot in China - where people from Mainland China go for recreation and can enjoy many options for fine dining" said Myron Danner, Nebraska Beef Council director, who attended the event. "While US beef is locked out of mainland China, we're getting great exposure in the region through Macau."

The invitation-only event drew key representatives from a wide range of Macau food and beverage enterprises, including chefs and senior managers from all the gaming and hotel properties, plus end-users from independent restaurant and retail chains.

The outdoor event was held at the Hard Rock Hotel Macau, one of several hotel properties situated in the Cotai Strip's City of Dreams complex. US beef packers and exporters donated Nebraska-harvested beef cuts for the event, ranging from whole roasted prime ribeyes to chilled chuck flap tail seared tataki.

US beef is shipped to Macau through Hong Kong, as there is no formal protocol for direct trade. Macau food safety authorities allow US beef into Macau when accompanied by a USDA health certificate issued for Hong Kong.

While the exact volume of US beef exported to Macau through Hong Kong is unknown, according to Hong Kong re-export statistics it is estimated that 542 tonnes of US beef valued at US$6.7 million were shipped to Macau during the first 10 months of 2013 - a 57% increase over the same period of 2012.

"US beef shipments to Macau are set to grow in future years as Macau offers more entertainment beyond gaming," says John Lam, USMEF's regional programmes manager based in Hong Kong.

Major infrastructure improvements are expected to drive more mainland visitors to Macau in the years ahead. The US$10 billion Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge is expected to open in 2016, replacing an hour-long ferry ride on the South China Sea with a 20-minute drive. Macau boasts 35 casinos, and another eight large-scale properties are in development, including resorts being built by Nevada-based gaming companies.