The US Meat Export Federation is utilizing consumer incentives in Japan to defend US beef and pork’s market share as foodservice struggles with inflation and reduced incomes.

While the weakened yen has helped stimulate a rebound in tourism and recovery in tourist-oriented foodservice sectors in Japan, the combination of rising inflation and low wage increases for consumers overall continues to impact the economy. Japanese businesses and consumers face rising prices for a wide range of imported products, including US red meat.

This environment of rising prices and reduced real incomes for consumers encourages buyers to seek less expensive protein options, especially those who serve value-oriented sectors of foodservice. To combat the increased competition from less expensive proteins, USMEF has been working to promote affordable, alternative beef and pork cut options to importers, distributors and their restaurant customers. USMEF has also increased its usage of sweepstakes campaigns as a promotional tool to sustain US beef and pork’s presence on restaurant menus. An additional benefit of implementing sweepstakes campaigns is they also encourage restaurants to conduct trial promotions for new cuts and items.

“We typically conduct training sessions for the beef and pork products we recommend to restaurant chains for sweepstakes campaigns,” said USMEF Foodservice Manager Masatoshi Takanashi. “Restaurants are attracted to the opportunity for greater sales through these campaigns, which allows us to propose affordable US cuts they may be less familiar with. Sweepstakes campaigns also enable us to engage directly with the consumers who are applying for prizes.”

In a recent sweepstakes campaign for US pork loin and tenderloin at 490 outlets of the pork cutlet chain Katsuya, sales exceeded expectations, and more than 45,000 applications were received for 250 katsudon and tonkatsu meal set prizes. The campaign’s success has encouraged USMEF to use it as a model to propose similar sweepstakes campaigns to additional restaurant chains in 2025.

Campaign support was provided by the Beef Checkoff Program, the National Pork Board, United Soybean Board and USDA’s Market Access Program and Regional Agricultural Promotion Program.

Source: US Meat Export Federation