U.S. pork exports to Central America were outstanding in 2023, and the momentum is continuing in 2024. One of the reasons for this growth is an increased focus on showing targeted consumers how to properly prepare pork.
Lucia Ruano, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) representative in the region, explains that consumer education workshops, funded through support from USDA and the National Pork Board, are valuable in showing consumers the quality and versatility of U.S. pork.
Last year, a unique series of workshops named Girls Can Grill, taught consumers and influencers how to properly prepare U.S. pork cuts – especially the loin and tenderloin – and avoid overcooking. In 2024, a follow-up program titled Inspire Us, will have a similar focus but examine alternative cooking methods in addition to grilling.
“In Central America, they used to think that pork needs to be overcook and maybe it’s not as healthy as they would like. But we have been educating and making all of these workshops where they can learn the nutritional facts,” Ruano explains. “We bring experts to these type of workshops where they can have all that information firsthand from doctors, nutritionists -that give them the correct information of what pork proteins represent. We also teach them how to manage it, how to cook it.”
Now, a new program called Inspire Us is drawing interest with its focus on other methods of cooking U.S. pork cuts.
“We focused on loin because loin is a very versatile muscle,” she explains. “We not only make chops, but we did...thicker cuts that visually it has a better look than is just a thin chop. Also we have been using the tenderloin.”
In 2023, pork exports to Central America climbed 20% year-over-year to a record $405.7 million. Export volume was the second largest on record at 137,500 metric tons, up 15% from 2022. Through February 2024, exports to the region jumped 17% from a year ago to more than 24,000 metric tons, while value soared 26% to $72.4 million.
