USMEF accompanied 27 buyers from Central America, Colombia, Mexico, Peru/Chile and Cuba to the Americas Food & Beverage Show in Miami to meet with U.S. suppliers, visit U.S. facilities and tour retail outlets. One of the largest food trade shows in the region, Americas Food & Beverage featured more than 700 companies and 20 international pavilions from five continents.

Following the first day of the show where the trade teams were introduced to U.S. red meat suppliers at their booths, USMEF brought the group to meetings at the offices of several individual suppliers, where they also viewed product and toured facilities. USMEF also led the team on retail visits to demonstrate how U.S. red meat is merchandised and sold.

The 10-person team from Cuba had arrived early to participate in seminars by USMEF staff and a Cuba trade specialist. Paul Johnson, a consultant with more than 30 years of trading experience in Cuba, discussed the meat trade environment in Cuba with team members and U.S. exporters.

USMEF Caribbean Representative Elizabeth Wunderlich provided introductory sessions about U.S. pork and beef for the team while USMEF Latin America Representative Homero Recio conducted cutting demonstrations on targeted pork and beef items. Following the seminars, trade team members met one on one with U.S. suppliers.

“Exporting to Cuba can be difficult, but it is doable. The members of the Cuba team are well-versed on Cuba’s import procedures and they are getting permits,” said Wunderlich. “Pork production has dropped significantly in Cuba, so I’d say the low-hanging fruit for U.S. suppliers may be pork.

Total pork muscle-cut exports from all suppliers to Cuba jumped from 6,300 metric tons in 2021 to 15,901 metric tons in 2022, said USMEF Director of Trade Analysis Jessica Spreitzer. The increase coincides with a drop in domestic production, due partly to the lack of production inputs available in Cuba. This increase in imports was primarily supplied by the EU, but by late 2023 the U.S. also began supplying the market.

From January through August 2024, U.S. pork exports to Cuba increased 423% to 5,254 metric tons, valued at $15.6 million, up 318%. The U.S. is the largest supplier to the market in 2024, capturing 34% market share through July (the latest available data). Export growth from the U.S., Brazil and Canada has offset decreased supplies from the EU this year.  

Beef exports from all suppliers to Cuba from January through July 2024 were 4,483 metric tons, more than double last year’s pace.  The U.S. is now the top supplier, but it is nearly all canned product, said Spreitzer. Other primary beef suppliers are the EU, Brazil, Chile and Panama. 

Funding support for the food trade show and trade teams was provided by the National Pork Board, the Beef Checkoff Program, the corn and soybean checkoffs and USDA’s Market Access Program.

Source: U.S. Meat Export Federation