USMEF Launches New Campaign to Promote U.S. Variety Meats in Mexico’s Cantinas
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is spotlighting a new promotional campaign aimed at expanding the presence of U.S. pork and beef variety meats in Mexican cantinas, the leading export destination for these specialty products. The initiative focuses on highlighting the versatility, quality, and affordability of variety meats — items that hold a strong cultural and culinary role in central Mexico.
USMEF Mexico Trade Manager Rigoberto Treviño shared details about the campaign and the enthusiasm it is generating among chefs, cantina owners, and consumers alike.
Treviño explained that variety meats are already deeply embedded in many central Mexican dining traditions:
“They use a lot of different variety meats in the central part of Mexico in the cantinas, in casual dining restaurants.”
One major promotional opportunity is taking place at the Feria Nacional de San Marcos, one of Mexico’s largest and most iconic fairs.
“We have an activity in the fair of San Marcos. They are like 12 million people that go there in a period of three to four weeks to the fair.”
Treviño noted the specific cuts USMEF is highlighting to both consumers and the foodservice industry:
“When we talk about variety meats in pork, we talk about pork jowl, ears, brains, snout, stomach, et cetera. In beef, we are promoting a small intestine, also liver and sweetbread.”
These items are being incorporated into an array of popular cantina dishes.
“Like for example, with the pork snout, we are doing tacos, we are doing sopes, we are doing tostadas. So it’s different cantina dishes with variety meats.”
Treviño emphasized that U.S. variety meats offer excellent value for restaurants and diners.
“Really good quality. The consistency is amazing. And of course, it’s very affordable for those cantina because if you want to go to our cantina, maybe you can have appetizer that is going to be for free if you are drinking or something.”
Affordability remains a major advantage for cantinas and casual dining operators:
“And it’s affordable and that’s very important for us. You can have like a pork jowl taco or a pork jowl sopes with guacamole for about, I don’t know, it might be a dollar. So it’s very affordable and it’s very important for those kinds of restaurants and casual dining.”
USMEF expects the campaign to drive greater consumer awareness and strengthen market demand for U.S. pork and beef variety meats across Mexico.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.