Regional events organized by one of the largest foodservice distributors in the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) brought more than 2,000 current and potential end-user clients from foodservice and retail to Riga, Latvia, and Vilnius, Lithuania. USMEF was on hand at both of the two-day events to promote high-quality U.S. beef in the region and promote alternative, economical cuts to attendees. The shows were the distributor’s first in-person events since early 2020.

The distributor, Reaton, organized the events for current and potential foodservice and retail clients in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Although an event was not held in Estonia this year, Reaton provided transportation for Estonian customers to attend the event in Riga.

“We experienced great enthusiasm for U.S. beef at the two events and during our four masterclasses,” says Yuri Barutkin, USMEF representative for Eastern Europe and the CIS region. “Prior to the events, Reaton asked its clients in each country about their needs and interests. From that research we were asked to feature four specific cuts at the events and during our masterclass seminars.”

USMEF called on Polish Chef Kacper Salzman to conduct U.S. beef seminars and support USMEF’s booth during the events. Salzman, a notable social media influencer, is an expert on high-quality U.S. beef and performed four masterclasses during each two-day event, discussing U.S. production practices and safety systems in the United States. He also presented on U.S. beef’s high-quality attributes and superior taste profile and performed cutting and cooking demonstrations, offering product samples from flap meat, hanging tender, flank steak and striploin.

More than 200 buyers, chefs and restaurant owners attended the four U.S. beef masterclasses.

Funding support was provided by the Beef Checkoff Program and USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion program.

Source: U.S. Meat Export Federation