Factors influencing consumer demand for US pork exported to the Republic of Korea (South Korea)

The potential market for single-ribbed bellies and Boston butts in South Ko rea was characterized and quantitative selection criteria were identified f or use by U.S, packers when selecting pork for export. South Korean retail meat market managers and traders/wholesalers in Seoul and Pusan were interv iewed and asked to identify the quality attributes that are considered when making pork-purchasing decisions. In addition, pork labeling characteristi cs and meat display case measurements and space allocations were recorded i n each retail store. Data from box labels were recorded in retail storage c oolers to characterize pork products currently being merchandized in South Korea. Sample retail packages of belly and butt slices were collected and s ent to a commercial laboratory for analysis of iodine values, ether-extract able fat content, total aerobic plate count (APC), total coliform count (TC C), and generic Escherichia coli count (ECC). No quality attributes of U.S. products exceeded the expectations of retailers. Quality attributes of U.S . pork products that exceeded the expectations of traders included presence of foreign material, marbling, tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall eating satisfaction. Traders/ wholesalers assigned negative ratings for ove rall workmanship and adherence to purchase criteria for U.S. pork products. Retail APC for South Korean belly samples were higher (P < 0.05) than APC for U.S, belly samples. Retail TCC and ECC for butts and belly samples and APC for butt samples did not differ by country of origin. Retail prices for South Korean bellies were higher (P < 0.05) than prices for retail U.S. an d Danish bellies. Pork butt prices did not differ (P > 0.05) by country of origin. Beef, pork, and poultry products comprised 66.8, 27.8, and 5.4%, re spectively, of the total meat display case frontage. U.S. beef products occ upied, on average, 18% of the total beef display area, whereas U.S. pork pr oducts comprised 2.6% of the total pork display case area.