The U.S. Meat Export Federation

Technical training and hands-on menu proposals continue to be powerful tools for driving volume in international foodservice. USMEF recently partnered with Steak-no Asakuma—a premier, 70-year-old steakhouse chain operating 73 outlets across Japan's Kanto and Chubu regions—to conduct comprehensive technical training for their team.
The program provided 20 key staff members with deep insights into U.S. beef quality, market fundamentals, and advanced cutting techniques, yielding immediate commercial results.
Key Campaign Achievements:
- Expanded Store Presence: The number of Asakuma locations sourcing U.S. beef grew from 62 to 70 out of 73 outlets.
- Premium Cut Adoption: Asakuma has introduced U.S. Prime-grade strip loin at five locations, including two brand-new restaurant openings.
- New Menu Integration: Following a successful trial, the chain has committed to fully introducing U.S. brisket fingers across its menu.
- Secured Volume: The partnership secures consistent monthly volumes, including 8–10 MT of U.S. strip loin, 2 MT of U.S. Prime strip loin, and 3 MT of U.S. brisket fingers.
The Road Ahead: To build on this incredible momentum, USMEF will host an executive inspection tour to the United States for Asakuma’s leadership team. This will further solidify their brand loyalty and pave the way for future U.S. beef menu features.

Sustaining purchase volume and menu visibility during major festive periods requires agile, operator-driven strategies. To support the Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional (HRI) segment during Chinese New Year, USMEF rolled out the “U.S. Pork Signature Series” Lucky Draw promotion across Singapore.
Spanning seven major restaurant concepts, the campaign featured 100% U.S. Pork across diverse Chinese and Japanese menus.
Key Campaign Highlights:
Volume Stability: Total U.S. Pork volume remained remarkably steady through the festive season, recording nearly 7,500 lbs in February and successfully preventing the typical post-holiday dip in demand.
Diversified Cut Utilization: Volume was driven by balanced menu applications across multiple cuts, including shoulder trim, loin, tenderloin, and premium Kurobuta items.
Streamlined Ex*****on: Partnering with local vendor SmsDome, the campaign utilized an efficient automated receipt verification system, reducing administrative workload while ensuring complete transparency.
The Takeaway: Even with minimal marketing investment and zero paid media, the organic, in-store activation generated steady consumer engagement. This proves that simple, scalable, and partner-focused promotions can effectively anchor long-term demand for U.S. red meat in highly competitive markets.