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Trade mission sheds light on Japanese beef consumers

A recent trade mission highlighted what Japanese consumers are looking for when buying beef. 

Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association executive director Kaitlin Root traveled to Japan with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture earlier this month and calls the country a top export market for the U.S.

“Really what was important for us is to build those connections and relationships over there.”

She tells Brownfield U.S. beef has a strong reputation in Japan.

“On our packages it says clearly ‘this is a U.S. beef product,’ and they’ll actually purchase it because they know it’s from the U.S. They know that it’s high quality and they know that it’s safe.”

Root says she was surprised how different Japanese consumers are compared to American consumers.

“They’re looking for tongue, chuck eye roll, outside skirt. They’re not gravitating towards the ribeye steaks and the ground hamburger.”

She says that speaks to how important Japan is as an export market.