Thanks to Nebraska corn farmers and their checkoff, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is deepening its ties with a key Middle East beef importer.
Leading Middle East beef importer and gourmet retailer Kaylani Food Center is working closely with USMEF to introduce a new generation of customers in Jordan and beyond to high-end U.S. beef products.
Headquartered in Amman, Jordan, since 1991, Kaylani Food Center has developed a reputation for distributing premium, gourmet quality beef products, ranging from Japanese Wagyu to Australian grain-fed to high-end Brazilian cuts. Now that list has expanded to include chilled Certified Angus Beef (CAB) from the United States.
A primary outlet for these top-tier products is The Meat Master Gourmet Meat Store, a Kaylani-owned operation that prides itself on offering its customers hard-to-find fresh meats and imported specialty products.
“The Meat Master targets a diverse clientele that has a passion for marbled, high quality U.S. beef,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president for global marketing and communication. “The addition of chilled U.S. Certified Angus Beef is a perfect fit with their commitment to offering only the finest beef.”
In addition to high-quality beef patties produced on-site from primal cuts such as chucks and briskets, The Meat Master also sells a range of high-quality sausages and hot dogs, plus items such as Wellingtons, meat pies and other value-added deli items.”
“The Meat Master, which is a unique gourmet store concept for this region, has seen significant growth with the addition of chilled CAB subprimals,” said Ali Noor, director of the Kaylani Food Center in Amman, Jordan. “With the help of a well-publicized USMEF beef promotion, funded with support from Nebraska Corn Board, we have seen requests from customers for CAB increasing 120 percent.”
Kaylani Food Center also imports significant quantities of frozen U.S. beef, ranging from subprimal loin cuts to alternative cuts such as top butt, chuck and inside rounds.
“We also offer portion-cut premium U.S. beef through our strategic business relationship with James Calvetti Meats in Chicago,” said Noor. “This is a very high-end selection of products only for the very discerning and niche clientele.”
Halstrom noted that while the Middle East region has traditionally been a customer for lower-value cuts, specifically variety meat, collaboration with companies like Kaylani Food Center and The Meat Master is helping to change consumer perceptions and raise the visibility of high-quality grain-fed U.S. beef.
USMEF recently worked with The Meat Master and Kaylani to develop a customer education program that combined point-of-purchase education with product sampling that was very positively received. USMEF supported the promotion with a Facebook campaign and social media outreach to maximize its impact.
Despite political turmoil in the region, the Middle East has remained one of the leading destinations for U.S. beef exports. Through the first nine months of 2013, the region has purchased 111,895 metric tons (246.7 million pounds) of U.S. beef valued at $211.8 million, making it the fourth-largest market by volume and sixth by value.
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