October 31, 2025
US pork producers eye trade opportunities in South Korea
"There aren't enough positive attributes that I can throw out here that would describe how awesome the trip was, it was just a wealth of knowledge," Maschhoff said about the trip he attended with the US Meat Export Federation, representing the National Pork Board.
"I gained perspective seeing how the Korean people and one of the US's larger international consumers, use our products. The culture of how they use that product and get it to their consumers is significantly different."
Maschhoff said that South Korea is about the size of Indiana but with a dense population of about 52 million. With less open land people there don't have as many opportunities to grow their own food, and those living in high-rise buildings are working with small kitchens and inconveniences traveling to eat out.
"Right now, Korea is driving a huge sector called home meal replacement," he said. "It's about trying to take the different segments of your balanced meal and build them into a one-stop shop package that might be pre-cooked or easy to cook at home with delivery service to their door."
South Korea is the third-largest export destination for US pork muscle cuts, reaching US$422 million through July. Belly is a cut Koreans prefer, but US demand for bacon makes it harder to get, so the country is thinking outside of the box.
"They've done some very unique things like slicing the shoulder very thin and smoking it to get not quite the same texture, but the flavour and experience of bacon," Maschhoff said.
"It was educational for us, but it was also about building relationships because having personal connections means a lot to them from a customer-consumer standpoint."
The group visited food service and retail locations including Costco and E-Mart, toured the Port of Busan, and key importing companies such as Fresheasy, Frank Burger and Highland Foods. The CEO of Highland Foods specifically wanted to host the team to build relationships directly with US farmers because their customers are demanding the quality and taste of US beef and pork.
"They very much appreciate and have an alignment with the US, looking at the US as a very sustainable source of their beef and pork," Maschoff said, noting a recent poll that showed 70% of the population considers the US as positive or favourable. "If they see a US label on the products in the stores, that carries a lot of weight."
"They've done some very unique things like slicing the shoulder very thin and smoking it to get not quite the same texture, but the flavour and experience of bacon," Maschhoff said.
"It was educational for us, but it was also about building relationships because having personal connections means a lot to them from a customer-consumer standpoint."
The group visited food service and retail locations including Costco and E-Mart, toured the Port of Busan, and key importing companies such as Fresheasy, Frank Burger and Highland Foods. The CEO of Highland Foods specifically wanted to host the team to build relationships directly with US farmers because their customers are demanding the quality and taste of US beef and pork.
"They very much appreciate and have an alignment with the US, looking at the US as a very sustainable source of their beef and pork," Maschoff said, noting a recent poll that showed 70% of the population considers the US as positive or favourable. "If they see a US label on the products in the stores, that carries a lot of weight."
He said it is beneficial to have a month that focuses on promoting pork.
"What these farmers are doing on an everyday basis really allows us to promote and show some appreciation to the group that's out there getting it done every day," Maschhoff said.
- My Journal Courier
