September 13, 2007

US beef to be sold in Macau's latest casino

US beef from Nebraska would be making an appearance at a spanking new casino in Macau, according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA).

The Venetian Macau resort hotel, which opened late last month, is twice the size of the Las Vegas original. At 10.5 million square feet, it is the largest building in Asia and the second largest in the world.

The Department reached a deal to supply beef to the hotel during last week's trade mission. Beef would also be a featured item at special events for a year.

The trade mission also clinched a deal with a Hong Kong restaurant chain, Steak Expert, to buy US$200,000 (A$244,000) worth of beef each month from the state's Grand Island meat packer Swift & Co.

A top culinary school for aspiring chefs in Hong and mainland China also committed to use beef from Nebraska in its training classes.

The deals are expected to enhance Nebraska's presence in Asia

Last year, the state sold US$3.9 million worth of fresh and frozen beef to Hong Kong and about US$1 million to Macau.

US beef is banned in Mainland China.