The Latin American Product Showcase is an event that is hosted by the U.S. Meat Export Federation every two years, rotating to a different Central or South American host nation.
The showcase draws regional buyers and sellers from 21 countries across Central and South America.
Kelli Wicks is the manager of international market development with the National Pork Board. She recently returned to the United States from the 2023 Latin American Product Showcase in Cartagena Colombia.
While the showcase is a great tool for importers in Central and South America it is also a good place for exporters to learn. Wicks says the showcase can shed some light on Central and South American pork consumption trends and preferences.
The U.S. produces 11% of the world?s pork. Many of the developing and expanding markets for U.S. pork reside in Asia and Central and South America. Wicks says there is still a lot of room for market growth in the Central and South America regions.
In addition to getting Central and South American consumers more interested in U.S. pork products, the next step is increasing consumption in those areas says Wicks.
Mexico remains the number one customer of U.S. pork, while Colombia and the Dominican Republic were the 6th and 7th top U.S. pork export markets in 2022.
