October 3, 2003

U.S. Beef Cuts Find Favour In China

With the rapid expansion of the foodservice industry in South China, U.S meat businesses are increasingly tailoring their quality meat cuts for the Chinese market.

As incomes increase and tourists flocking to China in droves, upmarket hotels and restaurants in the south of the country especially are demanding more and more supplies of consistently high-quality beef. In response to this demand, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and its partner, a Guangzhou-based meat importer and distributor, recently tested the feasibility of producing portions of U.S. beef cuts to meet the demands of the market.

Buyers are demanding consistency and quality in the cuts, for ease of predicting sales and profitability, say USMEF. These beef cuts are finding their way especially in the range of western food type restaurants, which are fast catching on with consumers in South China. 

USMEF is leading the development of the portion-control beef market in Southern China, and U.S. beef product samples have already been sent to specific Chinese hotels and restaurants for trial tasting. Evaluation results have shown that these products have been received favourably, pointing to the commercial potential of U.S. beef.

To further enhance U.S. beef products, the meat body has also undertaken a list of guidelines for the importer on the handling of these portioned-cuts. Promotional efforts, like displaying the product prominently on shelves of chillers or at the entrance of restaurants would also generate awareness and boost the image of U.S. beef. It is hoped that the consumption of U.S. beef products will increase as consumers begin to associate the meat cuts with superior quality, taste and texture.