USMEF took to the streets of Taipei to promote alternative U.S. beef cuts and to announce its featured cut for 2023 to the foodservice sector—the outside round (flat). With the director of the Agricultural Trade Office on board, an upscale double-decker bus transported VIP guests through the city as they dined on special dishes created by the top chef at the Regent Hotel.

“The foodservice sector is struggling with inflation and rising beef prices,” says USMEF Taiwan Director Davis Wu. “We are working to help them understand they have options with high-quality U.S. beef. Alternative cuts can be economical with great flavor, and we are demonstrating the versatility of the outside round flat for use in traditional dishes and new dishes developed for this promotion.”

Taiwan competes with other Asian markets for certain U.S. beef cuts so USMEF’s education and promotional programs feature a specific alternative cut each year. In 2022, USMEF featured the sirloin tip and in 2023, the outside round (flat).

See this fabrication video for the outside round now being distributed to importers, distributors and end-users in retail and foodservice.

Discussions with the trade determined the market was generally unfamiliar with the outside round, even though it is versatile and very suitable for thin-sliced products for use in hot pot and yakiniku restaurants. USMEF will continue creating new recipes and has begun developing promotional programs for consideration by retailers and restaurants in 2023.

Funding support for the mobile promotion was provided by Kansas Beef Council, the Beef Checkoff Program and USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion program.

Source: U.S. Meat Export Federation; Kansas Beef Council; the Beef Checkoff Program; USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion program