US pork industry works to build presence in Taiwan
Costco stores in Taiwan host a 15-week promotion to showcase pulled pork, honey and maple-flavored ham, bacon, and three types of sausage products.
US pulled pork was one of the products sampled during a 15-week promotion at 14 Costco stores in Taiwan.
Nearly five years after Taiwan established maximum residue levels for ractopamine in imported pork, the issue continues roiling the market. While intended to foster transparency, establishment of maximum residue levels were met with political pushback. Misinformation about ractopamine’s safety is regularly distributed to the trade and media.
“The ractopamine issue affects our ability to promote US pork to manufacturers for further processing and US pork cuts to consumers at retail,” said US Meat Export Federation Taiwan Director Davis Wu. “To address these challenges and grow consumer acceptance of US pork, we partnered with Costco on extended promotions of processed US pork products.”
The 15-week promotion at 14 Costco stores throughout Taiwan featured pulled pork, honey and maple-flavored ham, bacon, and three types of sausage products. The safety, versatility, convenience and taste of the US pork products were highlighted during the promotional period.
Prior to the misinformation campaign, US pork exports to Taiwan were growing. In 2020, shipments topped 20,000 metric tons valued at $54 million. But by 2024, export levels declined to 8,100 mt, worth $23.7 million.
The promotions were made possible with funding from the National Pork Board and USDA’s Regional Agricultural Promotion Program.
Source: US Meat Export Federation
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
