While tourism growth and recovery in the foodservice sector are creating opportunities for grain-fed beef in Japan, inflation and a persistently weak yen are creating challenges for US beef. One of the ways the US Meat Export Federation is working to address these market conditions is to position Prime grade US beef as an attractive alternative to Japanese Wagyu beef.

With support from US beef producers touring the Japanese market as part of the Pacific Northwest Initiative (PNI), USMEF conducted its first-ever seminar in Japan to promote Prime grade American beef to consumers. For the Tokyo event, 30 upscale club members of a high-end lifestyle magazine were invited to attend.

“The event is part of our strategy to encourage consumers to compare highly marbled US Prime grade beef to Wagyu beef,” said Taz Hijikata, USMEF Japan senior director consumer affairs. “We are working to increase awareness of US Prime grade beef as a premium product in Japan.”

During the seminar, producers Peter Charriere and Will Derting of Washington State Beef Commission introduced their ranches and discussed how their feeding and animal welfare practices lead to high-quality US beef products. David Marquilles, head chef of The Steakhouse at ANA Intercontinental Hotel Tokyo, also shared his rationale for choosing American beef for the restaurant’s signature menus.

The PNI team also participated in a USMEF barbecue event featuring US Prime grade beef for 100 selected listeners of a popular radio show in Tokyo.

Funding support for the events was provided by the Beef Checkoff Program and USDA’s Market Access Program.

Source: US Meat Export Federation