American Barbecue ‘Socials’ Generate Strong Interest in US Beef

TAIWAN - Recognizing an opportunity to increase sales of US beef in Taiwan by attracting a younger generation of consumers, USMEF held a series of events in 2016 showcasing American-style barbecue.
calendar icon 27 January 2017
clock icon 3 minute read

The campaign, which began with US beef seminars focused on new cuts and culminated with “Live Your Passion, Let’s Go Party for US Beef BBQ” social events at the end of the year, was funded by the Beef Checkoff Programme, the Texas Beef Council and the Beef Promotion and Research Council of Texas.

More than 100 restaurants and food stands in Taiwan participated in the promotion, many of them recruited by USMEF during the spring seminars.

“To say that barbecue has become a big part of the Taiwanese culture would be an understatement – barbecue restaurants from all over the world have established themselves here,” explained Alex Sun, USMEF marketing manager in Taiwan.

“The barbecue culture in Taiwan is very different from other kinds of food culture in that it’s a channel for the young generation. Taiwan’s younger consumers worship celebrities and stars, especially from Japan and Korea, and the barbecue cultures from these two countries are gaining traction in the Taiwanese foodservice market. This trend has attracted American barbecue establishments, which are becoming a popular choice for young Taiwanese people.”

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube Help Spread the Word

Social media played a big role in the year-long promotion. An event website and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/那些烤得美美的牛肉-1728455004074873/?fref=ts) were established to share information and to attract attention. Consumers who went to participating restaurants uploaded their photos on the Facebook page to enter a drawing for prizes.

Taiwanese food bloggers were invited to interview people at the restaurants and a media luncheon brought together many different barbecue restaurant chains – an unprecedented undertaking in the Taiwanese foodservice market, Mr Sun noted.

USMEF invited Fabio, a celebrity icon in Taiwan, to participate in a special programme titled “Fabio Comes to My Home” to promote US beef barbecue.

A video starring Fabio was produced and posted on Facebook and YouTube to attract foodservice operators and pique consumers’ curiosity about US beef. The video shows Fabio choosing US beef at a retail meat case and later preparing a meal for a Taiwanese family. That video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n_eO3CumBU

‘Let’s Go Party for US Beef BBQ’

A series of social events took place at barbecue restaurants that featured hosts and dancers interacting with consumers through educational games to help consumers understand the attributes of US beef. Afterward, participants were encouraged to share photos and comments on their blogs, Instagram accounts and Facebook pages.

In addition, USMEF’s inclusion of food stands from night markets in Taiwan helped pull a younger crowd into the promotion.

"It was the first time USMEF worked with the stands to promote US beef," said Davis Wu, USMEF director in Taiwan. “Through the cooperation of local operators, food stands serving US beef barbecue were able to communicate with these young consumers face-to-face."

New Cut Seminars Preceded Barbecue Promotions

USMEF reached out to Taiwan’s barbecue restaurants months before the consumer events to introduce them to the advantages of using US beef and recruit them to participate in the promotions.

“We wanted to provide them with the opportunity to learn more about US beef,” said Mr Wu. “We had several demonstrations featuring Kevin Woolf, an American barbecue expert. USMEF has been highlighting US top sirloin cap, and we asked Woolf to prepare this cut at the seminar and present it in an American-style barbecue.”

Discussions during the seminars carried over to the barbecue promotional events, as some foodservice operators and importers inquired about cuts like brisket and top sirloin cap, showing that USMEF’s barbecue promotions successfully created attention for alternative cuts that are a good fit for barbecue.

“Our strategy was to work with restaurants and retailers throughout the campaign to make sure that consumers, whether they choose to dine out or prepare meals at home, always make US beef a top option,” said Mr Wu.

2016 was an outstanding year for US beef exports to Taiwan. Through November, exports were up 22 per cent year-over-year in volume to 39,299 metric tons. Export value was up 10 per cent to $319.5 million – already setting a new full-year record.

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