Weekly USMEF Audio Report: Mexico’s Convenience Store Sector a Rapidly Growing Venue for U.S. Red Meat
Convenience stores account for a rapidly increasing share of food sales across the world, including in Mexico. Gerardo Rodriguez, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) regional marketing director for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic, discusses USMEF’s efforts to expand demand for U.S. pork and beef products by working with suppliers of Mexico’s largest convenience store chain, Oxxo.
Rodriguez on Convenience Stores in Mexico 3-18-19
Rodriguez notes that the quality and consistency of U.S. products such as ham and sausage used for breakfast sandwiches are major selling points for Oxxo’s suppliers. He adds that with a growing number of consumers turning to convenience stores for lunch and dinner, USMEF is working to develop a wider range of convenience items that feature U.S. red meat, including salads with pre-cooked pork and beef.
Despite facing a 20 percent retaliatory duty on most pork entering Mexico, it is still by far the largest the largest volume market for U.S. pork. In 2018, pork exports to Mexico totaled 777,143 metric tons valued at $1.31 billion. Mexico is the third-largest destination for U.S. beef exports, behind Japan and South Korea. Beef exports to Mexico totaled 239,110 metric tons last year, valued at just over $1 billion.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry. It is funded by USDA; the beef, pork, lamb, corn and soybean checkoff programs, as well as its members representing nine industry sectors: beef/veal producing & feeding, pork producing & feeding, lamb producing & feeding, packing & processing, purveying & trading, oilseeds producing, feedgrains producing, farm organizations and supply & service organizations.
Submitted to the BARN by:
Joe Schuele
Vice President, Communications
U.S. Meat Export Federation
303-226-7309 (office)
303-547-0030 (mobile)