DENVER – The U.S. Meat Export Federation (U.S.M.E.F.) hosted a team of 16 meat buyers and product managers from E-Mart, South Korea’s largest retail chain, last week, allowing them to learn more about U.S. beef production, processing and merchandising. Founded in 1993 as Korea’s first discount retailer, E-Mart has grown to more than 125 locations.

The tour started at U.S.M.E.F.’s Denver headquarters, where the group learned about U.S. beef exports, marketing programs and global trends in beef production and consumption. They later traveled to Fort Collins for technical presentations at the Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center (A.R.D.E.C.) at Colorado State University. The team also focused on the retail sector, visiting Tony’s Meats on Broadway and Marczyk Fine Foods, two Denver outlets specializing in high-quality beef cuts.

The group also visited larger supermarkets and discount stores to view the wide range of retail meat outlets available to U.S. consumers and their different merchandising methods for beef. The group also traveled to Fort Morgan, Colo., to tour the Cargill beef plant and to Las Vegas, Nev., to visit the Outwest Meat Co. portion-control plant.